NSW: Giant whale carved into Bondi Beach

AAP General News (Australia)
12-09-2008
NSW: Giant whale carved into Bondi Beach

SYDNEY, Dec 9 AAP - Greenpeace members protesting the arrest of two activists in Japan
have carved a giant whale into Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach.

About 30 protesters sculpted the 17-metre fin whale into the sand on Tuesday, calling
for whaling to be put on trial rather than the activists.

The whale was blessed by a group of Buddhist monks, while two protesters stood in a
cage wearing masks with pictures of Junichi Sato and Toru Suzukis, the so-called Tokyo
Two.

The Greenpeace activists were arrested in June for allegedly stealing two boxes of
whale meat and face up to 10 years in prison.

The environmental group said the two men had only tried to gather evidence in an attempt
to expose a corruption scandal in the whaling industry.

Greenpeace whales campaigner Reece Turner said protesters were gathering signatures
on a petition for the pair, and the event was part of a series of protests in 12 countries.

He said the sculpture would remain in the sand until Thursday.

It was two metres high and roughly the same size as a juvenile fin whale, a threatened
species hunted by Japan's fleet in the southern ocean, he said.

"We want Japan to know we're going to be keeping up the pressure and we're committed
to the campaign," he said.

AAP kd/evt/de

KEYWORD: WHALING (PIX AVAILABLE)

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