I couldn't help but contrast the threats made against the art gallery employees, with a quote from Captain Paul Watson made last week. If you are not familiar with the work of Paul Watson and Sea Shepherd, check out www.SeaShepherd.org -- or a fun place to learn about them is in a thrilling article from last year's National Geographic, which you will find on line at
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/0605/features/whales.html
Watson and his crew risk their lives as they interfere with whalers and sealers. Watson was recently shot in the chest by a whaler, and sealers have physically attacked his crew. Yet when a hunting vessel sank in Canada last week, killing four sealers, Watson slammed the hypocritical regulations of the government that allows sealers to hunt in wooden boats, but he also publicly commented:

"We will of course rescue any sealers should they require help. The Sea Shepherd crew is motivated by both mercy and compassion and a respect for all life - including the lives of those who inflict pain, suffering and death upon the most innocent of animals - the seal pups."
(See the article at
http://www.630ched.com/News/National/article.aspx?id=9291)
The attitude reflected in that comment helps maintain the public image of the Sea Shepherd crew as heroes, avoiding the terrorist label the sealing and whaling industries would prefer. It adds to the strength of the anti sealing campaign, which looks like it will soon come to fruition as the European Union moves towards banning Canadian seal products.