The brutal scenes were filmed by Sea Shepherd, a non-profit marine conservation society. Five members of the group were arrested while attempting to disrupt the bloody event that has been practiced for centuries.
The Faroe Islands form an archipelago lying between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, some 320km northwest of Great Britain. The self-governing islands are an autonomous region within the Danish kingdom, financially dependent on Copenhagen in areas such as military defense, police, justice, currency and foreign affairs.
The slaughter has shocked the world, with a hashtag #BoycottDenmark created on Twitter for people to voice their indignation.
According to the MarineBio Conservation Society, pilot whale population numbers are unknown, but they are "not considered endangered." The animals have been hunted for their meat, bone, oil, and for fertilizer. Pilot whale meat is among the key products bought and sold by the locals in the north Atlantic islands. Although whaling is illegal in the EU, Denmark has moved to protect this traditional event in the remote Faroe Islands.
whale slaughter in the faroe islands? this is disgusting, humans are the worst living creatures on this planet pic.twitter.com/X5BCQXHbWo
— courtney (@tmhcourtney) July 24, 2015
Sea Shepherd activists reported on Friday afternoon that "a massive pod of around 150 pilot whales was spotted close to the Mykines in the west of the Faroe Islands archipelago. A flotilla of small boats drove the pod to Bøur. The awaiting crowds of killers then dragged the animals violently on to the killing beach."
Picture postcard harbor-side scene on
"beautiful" Færoes Is
marred by sight of 15 massacred #whales!
#BoycottDenmark pic.twitter.com/rPqcaYnOLC
— #Boycott Denmark (@boycottdenmark) June 29, 2015
According to the activists, the Danish Navy was at the site helping the whalers. "It was perfectly clear to me that the Danish Navy was present at Bøur to guard the grindadráp, and that the slaughter would proceed with the full consent of the Danish Navy," said Wyanda Lublink, captain of the Sea Shepherd's boat Brigitte Bardot.
Why #BoycottDenmark ??
Their 'dependency', the Færoe Is. continues
A barbaric tradtion of whale massacres!
The Grind pic.twitter.com/vss3TQogej
— #Boycott Denmark (@boycottdenmark) June 29, 2015
Sea Shepherd added: "How Denmark - an anti-whaling member nation of the European Union, subject to laws prohibiting the slaughter of cetaceans - can attempt to justify its collaboration in this slaughter is incomprehensible."
.@GoVisitDenmark Do u think people want to visit 2 see this? Think again. You are guilty. #OpGrindini #boycottdenmark pic.twitter.com/NZJMX6dnXV
— Jillybean (@jilleeeebean) July 24, 2015
Truly disgusting slaughter of whales in the Faroe Islands looks like some kind of blood lust ritual via @rickygervais #BoycottDenmark
— nicolabanfoiegras (@nicolamacdona38) July 24, 2015
Sickening to see. We will reap what we sow and it is long overdue. So sad to see how far we have fallen, disgusting!