The Animal Liberation front or ALF go under many different names including the Justice Department and the
Animal Rights Militia. The ALF represent the most extreme groups of animal rights activists. They believe the use of force is justified:
Animal Rights Militia has said right from its foundation that it is prepared to physically harm "animal abusers".
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Robin Webb, ALF Press Officer
A brief timeline of the ALF:
- 1973: Band of Mercy, forerunner of the ALF, formed
- 1974: First arson attacks
- 1976: ALF formed
- 1980: Mass raids on laboratories using animals
- 1982: Letter bombs to scientists and other targets launched
- 1984: ALF starts product contamination attacks
- 1990: High explosive devices placed under cars of two vets in Bristol and Salisbury working for animal researchers; nobody injured
- 1993: Justice Department starts new campaign
- 1997: Dog breeding company targeted and shut down
- 1998: Huntingdon Life Sciences almost closes
Since its foundation the ALF have used terrorist tactics to attempt to end animal rights abuses. They have predominantly focussed on ending Fox Hunting and animal testing. Some of their previous targets have been a centre in Hereford breeding dogs for research and a cat breeder in Oxfordshire.
Some of their activities include:
- The bombing of cars owned by hunt of research sympathisers or those associated with hunting or animal research.
- Vandalism and theft of property and sites, particularly laboratories or the officers of investors.
- Harassing and stalking employees of organisations involved with animal rights abuses. This includes simple ploys such as ordering unwanted taxis and dumping gravel on their driveway to death threats and threatening mail. One example of this is Charlotte Lewis, of Surrey, who was convicted to six months in prison after scientists matched her DNA to saliva on the back of an envelope.
- The sending of letter bombs to a variety of targets, including seemingly unrelated ones such as charity shops (targeted because of their poor security arrangements).
- The simple tactic of beating up those they disagree with. There are two known and publicised examples of this:
These are both examples of the ALF's policy of standing up for
animal rights and completely ignoring
human rights.
As you can probably tell I am basically in favour of medical research on animals and I have yet to find an animal rights campaigner that can string a coherent argument together as to what they represent.
However my feelings against the ALF go much deeper than my simple disagreement with animal rights campaigners. Their methods are despicable. They ignore people's basic human rights for the purpose of their campaign for animal rights. They are terrorists.
Fortunately the British Government has recently come out in force against these terrorists and has begun to pass acts which allow the police to deal more effectively with their crimes. Former British Prime Minister John Major backed the Home Secretary's move to clamp down on such 'urban terrorists' saying:
The people who are suffering are ordinary, everyday people like you and I, going about their lawful business, as a result of their work, many people's lives are saved. It is intolerable they should have their lives made a misery.
I would be most interested to have the animal rights argument presented to me properly by someone, please /msg me or add a w/u.