ANIMAL LIBERATION FRONTANIMAL LIBERATION FRONT

MARIELA LARAMARIELA LARA

DIANA CORNEJODIANA CORNEJO

HISTORYHISTORY Animal Liberation Front are animal Animal Liberation Front are animal

liberation activists who engage in direct liberation activists who engage in direct action on behalf animals. Animal activists action on behalf animals. Animal activists would remove animals from facilities and would remove animals from facilities and sabotaged facilities in protest against sabotaged facilities in protest against animal testing, fur farming and other animal testing, fur farming and other animal based industries.animal based industries.

Animal Liberation Front began in the 19Animal Liberation Front began in the 19thth

Century, and was re- created in 1965. Century, and was re- created in 1965.

ALF’s roots can be traced back to the 19th ALF’s roots can be traced back to the 19th century England, a group of the activists century England, a group of the activists called the Bands of Mercy, which was set called the Bands of Mercy, which was set up in 1824 to thwart fox hunters.up in 1824 to thwart fox hunters.

The Bands of Mercy changed their names The Bands of Mercy changed their names to the Hunt Saboteurs Association. Hunt to the Hunt Saboteurs Association. Hunt Saboteurs association would blow horns to Saboteurs association would blow horns to send the hounds the wrong direction, set send the hounds the wrong direction, set off smoke bombs, and members laid down off smoke bombs, and members laid down between the hunters and fox.between the hunters and fox.

HISTORY CONT’D.HISTORY CONT’D. Animal Rights is the movement to protect non-human Animal Rights is the movement to protect non-human

animals from being used or regarded as property by animals from being used or regarded as property by humans.humans.

Alf attack laboratories to liberate animals used for Alf attack laboratories to liberate animals used for clothing, food, testing and for sports. clothing, food, testing and for sports.

The ALF defines itself as non-violent, defining violence as The ALF defines itself as non-violent, defining violence as acts of physical aggression directed at human and non-acts of physical aggression directed at human and non-human animals. human animals.

• Robin Webb runs the Animal Liberation Press in UK.

• Webb states that the ALF aims are to:

1. "To liberate animals from suffering or potential suffering and place them in good permanent homes or, where appropriate, release them into their natural environment."

2. "To damage or destroy property and equipment associated with animal abuse, by taking that property out of the arena of animal abuse so it can no longer cause harm, and inflicting economic loss on the abusers with the intention of driving them out of business."

3. "To take all reasonable precautions not to endanger life of any kind."

IMPORTANT PEOPLEIMPORTANT PEOPLE

Important People Cont’d.Important People Cont’d. Jerry Vlasak is an animal rights activists and Jerry Vlasak is an animal rights activists and

press officer for the animal press office. He is press officer for the animal press office. He is also a member of the Physicians committee also a member of the Physicians committee for responsible medicine.for responsible medicine.

Ronnie Lee was a member of the Hunt Ronnie Lee was a member of the Hunt Sabotagers Association in the 1970’s. He Sabotagers Association in the 1970’s. He formed an offshoot called Band of Mercy.formed an offshoot called Band of Mercy.

Cliff Goodman was also an activists in 1972, Cliff Goodman was also an activists in 1972, Goodman would attack hunters vehicles.Goodman would attack hunters vehicles.

Both would attack pharmaceutical Both would attack pharmaceutical laboratories, seal hunting boats, and would laboratories, seal hunting boats, and would set fires.set fires.

Lee and Goodman were both arrested for Lee and Goodman were both arrested for

taking part in a raid on Oxford animal taking part in a raid on Oxford animal Laboratory colonies. They were both Laboratory colonies. They were both sentenced to three years in prison, but only sentenced to three years in prison, but only served two. served two.

TERRORIST EVENTSTERRORIST EVENTS On November 10, 1973, ALF set fire to a On November 10, 1973, ALF set fire to a

building in Milton Keynes, as part of a strategy building in Milton Keynes, as part of a strategy to make insurance prohibitive for what they to make insurance prohibitive for what they saw as exploitative industries, and thus began saw as exploitative industries, and thus began

a campaign of arson that continues to this day.a campaign of arson that continues to this day. Alf activists broke into laboratories used by Alf activists broke into laboratories used by

the psychology department from the the psychology department from the University of Iowa. ALF took 88 mice and 313 University of Iowa. ALF took 88 mice and 313 rats. They destroyed documents and rats. They destroyed documents and computers by pouring acid on them. Members computers by pouring acid on them. Members caused damage worth up to $ 450,000. caused damage worth up to $ 450,000.

ALF stole over 100 research animals and ALF stole over 100 research animals and ransacked labs at University of Minnesota. Alf ransacked labs at University of Minnesota. Alf caused $2 million dollars worth of damages caused $2 million dollars worth of damages and disruption of many research projects.and disruption of many research projects.

UNITED STATES REACTIONSUNITED STATES REACTIONS

January 2005, ALF was named as a terrorist threat in the January 2005, ALF was named as a terrorist threat in the United States by Homeland Security.United States by Homeland Security.

Officials from the FBI and ATF stated that “Violent animal Officials from the FBI and ATF stated that “Violent animal rights extremists and eco-terrorists now pose one of the rights extremists and eco-terrorists now pose one of the most serious terrorism threats to the nation.”most serious terrorism threats to the nation.”

BRITCHESBRITCHES

Britches a Stump tail Macaque monkey was Britches a Stump tail Macaque monkey was born at the University of California at the born at the University of California at the research center in Riverside, California. research center in Riverside, California. Right after birth he was taken away from his Right after birth he was taken away from his mother, and his eyelids were sewn together. mother, and his eyelids were sewn together. The stitches left him blind. Britches was The stitches left him blind. Britches was deprived from any comfort and was kept in a deprived from any comfort and was kept in a cage with only one padded cylinder to cling cage with only one padded cylinder to cling to. to.

The University of California conducted this The University of California conducted this experiment as part of a maternal and experiment as part of a maternal and sensory deprivation experimentsensory deprivation experiment

In 1985, ALF released britches from the In 1985, ALF released britches from the university after having a raid. university after having a raid.

INJURED ANIMALSINJURED ANIMALS These are some pictures of animals that were injured by These are some pictures of animals that were injured by

laboratories.laboratories.

EARTH LIBERATION FRONTEARTH LIBERATION FRONT ELF is another animal activist terrorist group.ELF is another animal activist terrorist group. ELF is the collective name for anonymous and autonomous ELF is the collective name for anonymous and autonomous

individuals or groups that according to the new ELF press individuals or groups that according to the new ELF press office, use “Economic sabotage and guerilla warfare to office, use “Economic sabotage and guerilla warfare to stop the exploitation and destruction of the national stop the exploitation and destruction of the national environment” environment”

ELF’s guidelines require individuals or groups on its behalf ELF’s guidelines require individuals or groups on its behalf “take all necessary precautions against harming any “take all necessary precautions against harming any animal – human and non-human.”animal – human and non-human.”

Elf was founded in the United Kingdom and has been active Elf was founded in the United Kingdom and has been active in the United States, Canada, and Greece.in the United States, Canada, and Greece.

March 2001, ELF was classified as the top domestic terror March 2001, ELF was classified as the top domestic terror threat in the U.S. by the FBI.threat in the U.S. by the FBI.

Elf has committed more than 1,200 acts of vandalism and Elf has committed more than 1,200 acts of vandalism and arson in the U.S. causing more than $2 million in damage.arson in the U.S. causing more than $2 million in damage.

REFERENCESREFERENCES

American Liberation Front. Retrieved February 1, 2007. Web Site. American Liberation Front. Retrieved February 1, 2007. Web Site. http://animalliberationfront.com/index.htmlhttp://animalliberationfront.com/index.html

Kaiser, Jocelyn (04/16/1999). Activists Ransack Minnesota Labs. Kaiser, Jocelyn (04/16/1999). Activists Ransack Minnesota Labs. ScienceScience, vol. , vol. 284, issue 5413.284, issue 5413.

McGraw, Hill (2006). In Violence and Terrorism. Thousand Oaks: Sage McGraw, Hill (2006). In Violence and Terrorism. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications Inc. Publications Inc.

Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved February 1, 2007. Web Site. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved February 1, 2007. Web Site. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_Liberation_Front#_note-britchescjhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_Liberation_Front#_note-britchescj