# Iceland expels anti-whaling activists, four Brazilians still

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/iceland-antiwhaling-vessel-seizure
> Updated: 2026-08-12T02:44:43.000Z. Sources: 45. Developments: 4.

In late July 2026, the Icelandic Coast Guard and special police forces boarded the anti-whaling yacht Bandero, operated by the Captain Paul Watson Foundation, after it ignored orders to leave the 12-nautical-mile zone and approached the whaler Hvalur 9. The seizure followed a distress call from the Hvalur 9 crew reporting safety threats. The 65-metre vessel was taken to Reykjavik on 2 August and its 21 multinational crew were detained.

On 5 August, authorities detailed that the activists attempted to ram Hvalur 9 and deployed an inflatable boat with a net aimed at its propellers. The captain was arrested and the yacht seized. Police announced the immediate expulsion of the crew, imposing a minimum two-year ban on re-entering Iceland, which extends to the entire Schengen area for non-EEA nationals. The expelled activists included citizens of the United States, Brazil, France, Spain, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Trinidad and Tobago. Paul Watson was not on board.

By 12 August, while 16 crew members had been processed for departure, four Brazilian activists—Victor Calixto, Lucas Barbosa, Vitor Young, and Rui Amorim—remained detained in Iceland. They are permitted to move within the capital but must report daily, and their passports and phones have been seized. Sea Shepherd Brasil has requested intervention from the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noting that the Brazilians face more complex requirements for leaving the Schengen Area than their European counterparts. Iceland reiterated plans to introduce legislation this autumn to prohibit commercial whaling.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-12: Iceland detains four Brazilian activists during whale hunting protest

Four Brazilian activists remain detained in Iceland after attempting to intercept commercial fin whale hunting by the Captain Paul Watson Foundation.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/iceland-detains-four-brazilian-activists-during-whale-hunting-protest

### 2026-08-05: Iceland Expels 21 Anti‑Whaling Activists and Seizes Paul Watson’s Vessel Bandero

Iceland seized the Paul Watson Foundation’s yacht Bandero after it tried to block whaler Hvalur 9, expelled 21 activists for at least two years, and announced plans to ban commercial whaling.

9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/iceland-detains-paul-watson-foundation-vessel-bandero-and-expels-21-activists

### 2026-08-02: Iceland Detains 21 Anti‑Whaling Activists from Paul Watson Foundation Vessel

Icelandic authorities seized the anti‑whaling vessel Bandero and detained 21 crew members from the Paul Watson Foundation, planning deportations as the country resumes commercial whaling.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/iceland-detains-21-antiwhaling-activists-from-paul-watson-foundation-vessel

### 2026-07-30: Iceland seizes anti‑whaling ship Bandero, detains 21 crew members

Iceland’s coast guard seized the anti‑whaling ship Bandero, arrested its captain and detained 21 crew members after they ignored orders to leave territorial waters; authorities seek their deportation.

29 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/icelandic-coast-guard-seizes-sea-shepherdlinked-vessel-bandero-captain-arrested

---
Cite as: Iceland expels anti-whaling activists, four Brazilians still. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/iceland-antiwhaling-vessel-seizure