Denmark’s Little Mermaid Statue Was Doused in Red Paint to Protest Senseless Whale Slaughter

Denmark‘s famed Little Mermaid statue by Edvard Erikson has been doused with red paint in protest of the gruesome whale slaughter that occurs in the Danish Faroe Islands.

Seeing as this landmark is located by the water, the protesters seemed to be making a strong point connecting humans with the animals of the oceans. Even symbolically, a mermaid is half-human, half-sealife, so this protest has an extra layer of poignancy. Underneath the statue, the protesters wrote: “Danmark [sic] defend the whales of the Faroe Islands.” While it is unknown who did this, the message is loud and clear!

Opposition to the Faroe Islands hunts is not a new thing. Many organizations, including Sea Shepherd, have long been on the frontlines in the fight against the hunting of the pilot whales and orcas in the Faroe Islands. Although the Faroese people are exempt from EU law that prohibits the killing, injuring, or disruption of cetaceans, the Danish Navy and other officials have protected these hunters and facilitated the hunt that kills an average of 800 pilot whales a year.

If you want to stand up for pilot whales, you don’t have to go to such dramatic lengths as those who painted this statue, instead –  please take a moment to sign this petition written by Sea Shepherd, demanding justice for the whales of the Faroe Islands. Most people have no idea this slaughter occurs, so please share this with your network and encourage people to join you in signing the petition!

Image Source: Ida Marie Odgaard/EPA