Sending good vibes to Peter Bethune

Anti-whaling activist pleads guilty but denies assault

New Zealand anti-whaling activist Peter Bethune appeared in a Tokyo court this morning facing five charges related to his boarding of a Japanese whaling ship in the Antarctic earlier this year.

Bethune is charged with trespass, vandalism, obstructing commercial activity, being armed with a weapon and, most seriously, assault causing injury.

The assault charge stems from allegations Bethune threw tubs of rancid butter onto one of the whaling ships and in the process slightly injured a Japanese crewman.

Bethune pleaded guilty to four of the charges but denied the assault.

If convicted he faces up to 15 years in jail.

The charges arose after Bethune tried to make a citizen's arrest on the whaling ship's captain and was also trying to serve him with a multi-million-dollar damage bill.

Bethune was the captain of the powerboat, the Ady Gil, that was destroyed in a confrontation with the Shonan Maru 2 in January.

On Thursday, a group of ultra-nationalist supporters gathered outside the court to make it clear they want Bethune punished.

One carried a placard calling for the Sea Shepherd activist to be hung.

More than 400 people queued for 18 seats inside the courtroom.

Bethune faces an uphill battle, with the Japanese conviction rate particularly steep compared to Western standards.

The court system in which Bethune is being trailed is widely quoted as having a 99.8 per cent conviction rate, and Japanese law deals with assault charges harshly.

Bethune has served three months already and according to his lawyer is hoping for a suspended sentence.

They are hoping the court will take into account that he pleaded guilty on the other charges and consider he is conceding he broke Japanese law.

It is believed Bethune will be tried by a panel of three judges.

via ABC News...