Back to the Future: Re-examining Old Tactics

"It's the bloody animal rights again"

After the big crackdown and changes in legislation many tactics have fallen by the wayside. However I think it is time to re-examine old tactics and see how they can be effectively applied even within the draconian laws we have now. The movement has always been very good at pushing the boundaries and that shouldn't stop now simply because the boundaries have changed. 

A good example of recycling old tactics is the recent return to phone bloc actions. A phone bloc action is when you call a company on a specific day and complain about something e.g. their involvement in animal testing.

In the past this was a very popular tactic within the SHAC campaign, back then it was much a case of ringing the number over and over and over and over... you get the idea, so as to block their lines. Nowadays though that kind of conduct cannot be advocated publicly so the whole idea seemed to have all but disappeared. However the tactic has now recently reappeared, advocated by smaller groups and individuals and now coming with strict disclaimers urging callers to not make repetitive phone calls. What callers do do however is  totally upto them!  This is a 2011 approach to this old AR tactic.

By looking at old tactics that maybe illegal or questionable now and re-imagining them we can get back to action and kick the animal abusers ass (metaphorically speaking, oh, of course)!

It is also worth remembering that while aboveground activists like us must work within the edges of the new oppressive laws underground activists don't have to. It has always been illegal to smash a window of a fur shop, to paint strip an animal researchers car or to threaten an animal abuser at their home. These are tactics that worked and still work. I don't advocate any of these tactics  – but when people go to jail for aboveground protest you can see what motivates people to do the more effective stuff – all they have to do is avoid getting caught!

Bold Native: The Movie: An Activist's Perspective

Bold Native Movie Review

If you haven't heard the buzz about Bold Native yet you must have been living under a rock! But just in case there is someone out there that hasn't heard about it yet here's the scoop. Bold Native is a ground breaking feature film about the brave men and women of the underground animal liberation movement known as the Animal Liberation Front (ALF). This is the first professional fictionalised film regarding this subject matter and it is amazing!

The film's plot, acting and cinematic quality rival anything put out by a big budget Hollywood film company despite being produced on a shoe string. The film is powerful, deep and extraordinarily entertaining. You really don't need to have any interest in animal rights to enjoy this work of  cinematic art.  

The movie follows a wanted activist (the FBI had labelled a 'domestic terrorist') on a mission to pull off a nationwide coordinated action. His father after discovering his son is a 'terrorist' gives chase as well wanting to get to his son before the FBI does.   

The film looks at all aspects of the animal protection movement. Reformists looking to improve animal 'welfare' via lobbying, the animal liberationists who fight for the rights of animals using illegal means but never use violence against humans and even an activist that thinks violence is part of the solution.

My one criticism of the film would be the way it approached the argument regarding the use of violence. In the film an activist uses what amounts to torture and violence in a way purely to punish an animal abuser. This is clearly wrong and if that was the argument for the use of violence I doubt there would be any serious animal rights proponents of it.

The problem is that the main violence proponents within animal rights do not advocate such use of violence they advocate force to be used proportionately and only to the minimum extent necessary to stop the abuse. I think if the issue of whether violence is ever acceptable is to be taken on it should be done in a way that reflects the actual debate i.e. Is it OK to use the minimum amount of violent force necessary to actually stop abuse?          

Also the complete lack of security culture did leave me shouting at the screen and almost willing the liberationists to get caught! However that is more of a nerdy activist thing and I see why the film makers might have avoided such details to ensure the film was entertaining to the widest possible audience.   

However overall an amazing, exciting film that anyone regardless of their view on animals can enjoy. If you haven't seen it yet, no matter who you are, you must – you'll love it. Guaranteed!

To order a copy of the movie head over to http://boldnative.com/ To watch Bold Native online you can also download it from Itunes.