Japanese whalers sued Sea Shepherd. An appeal judge ruled in the whaler’s favor and ordered Sea Shepherd to immediately stop actions against whalers.
“You don’t need a peg leg or an eye patch. When you ram ships; hurl containers of acid; drag metal-reinforced ropes in the water to damage propellers and rudders; launch smoke bombs and flares with hooks; and point high-powered lasers at other ships, you are, without a doubt, a pirate, no matter how high-minded you believe your purpose to be.,” said the judge.
While a charge of piracy seems ludicrous since nothing was stolen, ramming ships at sea is a serious matter. It might have helped Sea Shepherd if their logo wasn’t vaguely piratical. Just saying…