Two environmental activists who protested to protect whales in Iceland in 2023 are now facing legal charges.
On Thursday, Elissa Phillips and Anahita Babaei, the president of The Last Whaling Station, appeared in court in Reykjavík.
They are charged with burglary and violations of maritime safety laws for boarding the whaling ships Hvalur 8 and Hvalur 9 without permission and refusing to leave when ordered by police. Their charges could lead up to years in prison and fines.
In September 2023, the two women climbed the masts of the ships and stayed there for about 36 hours to protest against the operations of Hvalur hf., a whaling company in Iceland.
Their protest ended after negotiations with police, and they were taken into custody. Hvalur hf. filed charges the same day.
“They took a stand for the voiceless, risking their freedom to protect endangered whales from harpoons,” the Seaspiracy movement said.
“Their peaceful action was a call to the world: whaling must end. But instead of holding the whalers accountable, the legal system is targeting those who tried to stop the violence.”
Peaceful protest
“We were arrested in Iceland after peacefully protesting the slaughter of endangered fin whales. We climbed into the crow’s nests of two commercial whaling vessels, delaying the hunt for over 33 hours and shining a global spotlight on a practice the world cannot ignore,” the women said on their GoFundMe page to cover their legal costs.
“This was peaceful, civil disobedience. Now, we face serious legal consequences for standing up for what’s right,” they added.
“We are fundraising to do everything we can to win this case because defending the right to protest is vital to protect our planet and all its inhabitants,” Phillips and Babaei said.
Whaling in Iceland
In April 2025, Hvalur hf. announced it would not kill fin whales this summer. The company cited economic reasons, including falling product prices in Japan, its main market, and global market instability.
Despite the cancellation, the Icelandic government has not changed its position on whaling. In December 2024, it issued five-year permits for the hunting of 209 fin whales and 217 minke whales.
Animal rights groups continue to call for a permanent ban on whaling in Iceland.
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