Anti-Whaling March

26th January 2019
My mum, brother and I headed to Cavendish Square in central London for an Anti-Whaling Protest, led by Dominic Dyer, Carrie Symonds and Peter Hall, from the London Committee for the Abolition of Whaling. This march was taking place because of Japan's horrendous decision to pull out of the International Whaling Commission, a group of countries which have a pact to ensure whaling is an abolished practise. This is a practise which has no benefit to the Japanese people or indeed the world, as the demand for consumption has fallen sharply since 1962. Whaling has no place in the 21st Century, and this is why about five hundred of us had gathered in a secluded garden behind Oxford Street.

It was wonderful to meet Dominic Dyer and Bella Lack, and hear them, along with Carrie Symonds, Stanley Johnson, Will Travers and others make powerful and emotional speeches, which in my opinion is a step in itself to wake up the world about this cruel and barbaric practise, and make an example for cities around the world, which will hopefully hold similar protests. Afterwards, we all marched along Oxford Street, onto Regent Street and finally onto Piccadilly, with our heads held high and oblivious to the pouring rain. Passers-by looked at us, some in bewilderment, others in solidarity with us, and cars and buses honked their horns in agreement. We chanted slogans such as 'stop the slaughter in the water' and 'There's no excuse for animal abuse', and finally reached the Japanese Embassy, opposite Green Park. There, the speakers delivered a letter for Japan to reconsider their decision. 

I think this protest will be the start of many around the world, and I hope these will get the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, thinking about if whaling really has a place in our 21st Century society. 

With Dominic Dyer at Cavendish Square

Protesters marching through Regent Street- stop the slaughter in the water! Credit: Dominic Dyer