Brigitte Bardot offers to take Paul Watson’s place in jail

French film icon and animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot has spoken out against Canadian environmentalist and Sea Shepherd founder Captain Paul Watson’s recent German imprisonment by offering to switch places with him in jail. “Being outraged by the fact that he’s been put in prison, I offer to take his place because I am his accomplice. I have always supported Paul Watson, my brother in arms,” said the retired actress in a statement.

Captain Watson faces extradition to Costa Rica for a decade-old warrant involving a 2002 confrontation with a Costa Rican shark finning boat on Guatemalan waters. This incident was featured prominently in the award-winning film Sharkwater. In 2011, Bardot, a long-time Sea Shepherd supporter, had one of their vessels named after her. Other celebrities who have publicly pledged their support to Sea Shepherd include Anthony Kiedis, Pierce Brosnan, Sean Penn and Emily Deschanel. Bardot has also campaigned against whaling in Japan, bear-hunting in New Jersey, wolf-hunting in Sweden, seal-hunting in Canada and the dolphin slaughter in Denmark. For more information on Captain Watson’s arrest click here.