Greenland court extends detention of anti-whaling activist Watson

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00:00Since July, Paul Watson has been detained in Greenland, awaiting possible extradition to Japan.

00:05How are you? Your reaction to this?

00:07It is what it is and it puts more pressure on Japan.

00:11Yet still, he remains upbeat.

00:13After almost 50 years of tireless anti-whaler activism,

00:17the environmentalist was nabbed under an international arrest warrant issued by Japan

00:22for allegedly causing damage to one of the country's whaling ships in the Antarctic

00:26over a decade ago.

00:28Watson is the founder of Sea Shepherd and well known for his often radical tactics

00:32in defence of marine life, such as confronting whaling ships out at sea.

00:40His direct action is said to have saved more than 5,000 whales around the world,

00:45making him an icon for environmentalists and a problem for whaling nations.

00:50This is part of why Watson and his supporters feel there is a vendetta against him.

00:55They say the alleged crime warrants a fine and not a potential 15-year prison sentence.

01:00These allegations are actually no more than misdemeanours and hooligism.

01:05You know, you'd get a $1,500, sorry, $1,500 kroner fine

01:10and you wouldn't face any time inside it or in jail.

01:13So it's ridiculous this man's been held on misdemeanour allegations,

01:18you know, from another country.

01:20More than 120,000 people have signed a petition for his release

01:24and in Paris on Wednesday, crowds gathered to show their support.

01:28They see him not as a criminal but rather a man who has dedicated his life to protecting the planet.

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