Protestors hurl acidic butter at Japanese whaler

Activists from the Sea Shepherd group, Ralph Lowe (L) and former Dutch police officer Laurens de Groot, throw bottles at the Japanese whaling ship Nisshin Maru from their vessel, the Steve Irwin, in the Southern Ocean March 3, 2008.

Anti-whaling activists have found a unique way of disposing of acidic rotten butter by throwing bottles of it at a Japanese whaling ship in Antarctic waters Monday, injuring several crew members, Japanese officials said.

    Sea Sheperd protesters threw the containers, which contained butyric acid produced by rotting butter, at the Nisshin Maru whaling ship. The ship is taking part in Japan's research whaling program.

    "We strongly condemn this," Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura said. Japanese officials said at least three crew members were injured lightly. It was not clear if they were hit with the bottles.

    Sea Shepherd and other anti-whaling protesters have continually harassed the Japanese whaling fleet in an effort to interfere with Tokyo's hunting season, during which it takes hundreds of mink whales in the Antarctic.

    The group said it threw more than two dozen bottles of rotten butter — which has a rancid odor — onto the Japanese ship, as well as packets with an unspecified slippery chemical onto the deck to interfere with whale flencing.

    "I guess we can call this nonviolent chemical warfare," said Sea Shepherd leader Paul Watson in the statement.

    Japan has accused the activists of terrorist tactics, but Sea Shepherd called on Japan to stop its hunt, in a statement issued after the confrontation.

    Japan planned to issue a formal protest to the Netherlands, which licenses the activist boat, the Steve Irwin, said Itsunori Onodera, senior vice minister for foreign affairs.