Peaceful protest is quite clearly defined in UK law. You can stand in the way of a truck which is servicing the activity you are protesting against and try to verbally persuade the driver not to cross your line.

You cannot open the truck door and try to enter, nor can you lay hands on the driver.

Directly analogous to the difference between getting between the whale and the harpoon gun, or attempting to board a vssel or rig.

So, that Greenpeace action was beyond what is permissible under the mantle of peaceful protest, whether it qualifies as piracy or not.

Greenpeace have, I'm afraid, picked on the wrong people, who are not likely to be bothered by world opinion, and not known for any leniency toward foreign transgressors.

Don T.