Why isn't this piracy?

Dinner · June 21, 2004, 03:17

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...et/3824355.stm

Green Peace says they feel so strongly against the use of GM foods that they sent speed boats to a French shipping vessal which was entering a British port and then sent men aboard to seize control of the ship. There is no word as to what the "activists" have done with the crew but when the British harbor pilot came to guide the ship in to port the "activists" pulled up the ladders and refused to let the government offical board.

I realize that everyone has a right to free speech but what about the ship owners right to carry out legal international commerce? What about their right to not have criminals sneak aboard their ships and take away control of the ship from the crew? Why shouldn't these "activists" be charged with piracy and thrown in jail for the rest of their natural lives? Personally, I think they should plus since the Green Peace Organization is organizing, training, and financing people to commit acts of piracy they should be severally dealt with too.

Space05us · June 21, 2004, 03:50

It would be a French vessel wouldnt it?

joncha · June 21, 2004, 03:58

Because they didn't meet the minimum pirate requirements in terms of eye-patches and parrots.

problem_child · June 21, 2004, 04:00

Screw that, Yay Green Peace, Direct Action Now, Smash The Gene-Corp Scum!

FrustratedPoet · June 21, 2004, 04:12

Originally posted by Oerdin
Personally, I think they should plus since the Green Peace Organization is organizing, training, and financing people to commit acts of piracy they should be severally dealt with too.

I think that too.

FrustratedPoet · June 21, 2004, 04:17

Would this mean that everyone who gives money to Green Peace is funding terrorism?

Dinner · June 21, 2004, 04:19

Piracy at least.

For those of you who approve of taking over ships please explain to me why this isn't piracy. So far all I've heard is something along the lines of "It isn't piracy because I agree with their politics".

Dinner · June 21, 2004, 04:28

From dictionary.com

piracy

n 1: robbery on the high seas; taking a ship away from the control of those who are legally entitled to it

It seems clear that they have "tak[en] a ship away from the control of those who are legally entitled to it". So the question remains why isn't this piracy?

Nubclear · June 21, 2004, 04:30

Oerdin, before your head explodes, I'd like to point out that nobody has really seriously stated that this wasnt piracy

Last Conformist · June 21, 2004, 04:32

I think it's pretty clear it is. But I'm afraid the UK doesn't hang pirates anymore.

Urban Ranger · June 21, 2004, 05:12

How did they seize control of the ship? Did they point guns at people, or did they just get in the way?

Chemical Ollie · June 21, 2004, 05:22

Who said it isn't piracy? Since it happened today (or was it yesterday?) the legal process is far from over. However, I don't think calling in a SWAT team to resolve the situation would give good publicity, as they don't seem to be threatening anybody's life.

Would you support the French way to deal with Greenpeace?

problem_child · June 21, 2004, 05:37

Originally posted by Oerdin
Piracy at least.

For those of you who approve of taking over ships please explain to me why this isn't piracy. So far all I've heard is something along the lines of "It isn't piracy because I agree with their politics".

I didn't say that, fact is it is piracy. GOOD piracy!

Dinner · June 21, 2004, 05:46

If it is piracy then this begs the next question. Why haven't we thrown the book at people who have done this in the past? Surely, a crime is a crime even if you are politically sympathetic to their criminals cause? I'm sure loads of Arabs sympathized with various terror groups which hijacked planes and ships in the 70's and 80's but it was still a crime.

This guys can't be hanged which was the traditional method of punishing pirates but they should still get at least 20 years as should the organization which trains them, finances them, and puts them up to such criminal acts. Just my two cents.

UR: I'm not sure. If it was violent then I'd say give them life without parole but if it was nonviolent then 20 years would work for me. I'm not sure how one nonviolently takes control of a ship though.

problem_child · June 21, 2004, 05:57

Actually piracy for money is alive and vibrant on the high seas (why is it called high seas, when all sea is at... sea-level?) especially in the Carribean and South-East Pacific. Any particular reason why this Green Peace piracy annoys you, as opposed to the thousands of pirates that also get away with it? I know alot of people find Green Peace really annoying, because they're abit up-themselves.

General Ludd · June 21, 2004, 06:02

Piracy is cool. Activism is cool.

Activist pirates are the coolest thing ever.

And the green peace activists who do this do tend to get arrested, I believe. It's worth it though.

EDIT: Actually, they often risk being shot and killed by the crew when they're doing this. They know what they're doing.

Skanky Burns · June 21, 2004, 06:05

I think it is counted as Green Peace getting even. They are down one ship after the French "accidently" ran a military ship through the GP one, afterall.

Chemical Ollie · June 21, 2004, 06:11

Originally posted by Skanky Burns
I think it is counted as Green Peace getting even. They are down one ship after the French "accidently" ran a military ship through the GP one, afterall.

I don't know if you're old enough to remember, but didn't they (the French) plant a bomb and sunk the ship while in the harbour?

Urban Ranger · June 21, 2004, 06:12

IIRC, the French sent frogmen to set demo charges on the previous Rainbow Warrior.

Last Conformist · June 21, 2004, 06:18

Actually piracy for money is alive and vibrant on the high seas (why is it called high seas, when all sea is at... sea-level?) especially in the Carribean and South-East Pacific.

The South-East Pacific? That's fairly empty ... do you mean the waters off SE Asia? I'm told the South China Sea has the highest pirate density in the world.

problem_child · June 21, 2004, 06:19

Yeah that place.

Pekka · June 21, 2004, 06:28

I support what is called the SC Security procedures. JUst now browsing through the 'ship safety' section and furthermore the 'against activist invasion' topic, I see that the recommended actions is to open up the less-lethal-weapons-safety-box provided by PWS, take out the batons and electric shocker killers (by PWS also). Shoot the electric shocker killers and put the nice vibrations to maximum and blast them for good 10 seconds and watch them go limp. Then take out the PWS designed Youth Instructor Batons (YIB) and target the legs and arms of attackers. Then just throw them over to the sea.

Chemical Ollie · June 21, 2004, 06:31

Or practice golf on them, like Bruce Willis in "Armageddon"

(What would Ming do?)

Pekka · June 21, 2004, 06:33

Chemical Ollie, oh yeah, that's was a funny bit

Urban Ranger · June 21, 2004, 06:34

Throwing people into the sea will probably net you murder charges.

Pekka · June 21, 2004, 06:38

UR, self defense.

Dinner · June 21, 2004, 06:38

PC: Mainly because it's in the news while the other forms currently aren't. I'd be all for hanging any pirate who uses violence on the high seas. If they are just activists who are behaving like pirates then there intent is different so instead of hanging them I'd make an example out of them by handing out long prison sentences to everyone involved including any national or international leadership of the organization which knew of this act of piracy, inspired people into commiting acts of piracy, or who OKed their organization's use of piracy.

All of these people should be charged and if they are found guilty then they need to spend many long years rotting in prison cells as an example for others thinking of becoming pirates for a cause du jour.

Tattila the Hun · June 21, 2004, 06:39

Maybe they consider themselves privateers, working for the GP gov.

Dinner · June 21, 2004, 06:40

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
Throwing people into the sea will probably net you murder charges.

It depends. If they're unconcious and you just toss them over board then yes, but, if you are struggling against boarders and you wack one over the head with a club and he falls over board...