Danish officials, including police, navy, and customs representatives, have been facilitating and supporting the slaughter of cetaceans in the Faroe Islands. In events known as "grindadráps," Denmark assists the Faroese with ensuring that they can drive hundreds of pilot whales and other cetaceans into bays, where, while screaming in terror, their spinal columns are ruthlessly sliced, filling the bays full of blood.
While the Faroese cannot be brought to justice for their direct role in these atrocities, Denmark can. By supporting the Faroe Islands in the slaughter, Denmark fails to fulfill its EU obligations under the EU Habitats Directive - officially known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora. The Habitats Directive prohibits member states (including Denmark) from all forms of deliberate disturbance, capture, or killing of cetaceans.
On 8 May 2017, with the formal support of 27 Members of the European Parliament, Sea Shepherd Netherlands officially submitted a complaint to the European Commission, requesting infringement proceedings against Denmark for facilitating the slaughter of pilot whales and other cetaceans in the Faroe Islands.
It is up to the European Commission to ensure that Denmark is brought to justice. Sea Shepherd has given the European Commission all the proof needed to make that happen. Please sign our petition right away requesting that the European Commission stop Denmark from continuing to facilitate the slaughter of cetaceans. Time is of the essence – the European Commission is deliberating now.
