Old school AR tactics work, say vivisection industry!

Some USA activists have got the right idea.

An article in the Guardian about 2 activists convicted of peaceful protest and free expression reveal some interesting admissions from those inside the vivisection industry – old school animal rights tactics work! While many peoples response will be 'no shit', it is a point worth re-emphasising as the movement becomes increasingly pacifistic in the UK.

The Guardian reports that “In 1981 there were 34 companies breeding laboratory animals. Today there are just three because of activists' intimidation of staff and of companies supplying services and products to laboratories.”

This is confirmed by Andy Cunningham, a Harlan manager who admits "Part of the overall reduction in company numbers has involved consolidation of businesses, but there is no doubt that intimidation has led to the closure of many other companies,"

Replace 'intimidation' with 'robust protest' and they are totally right! The animal rights movement has the formula for success. While we must adapt to the changing legal framework we must not abandon the time tested methodology.

We must focus our energy and get back to old school animal rights. But focus on what? Professor Roger Morris, head of bioscience at King's College London gives us a clue “We are now down to our last three major breeders in the UK. We can manage with that, but if we lose another we will be in a very uncomfortable situation.”

The Animal Liberation Movement: The Essence of The Movement

Post by guest contributor, Newcastle AR activist.

The animal liberation movement has been around for century's now. In the 80s we saw massed direct actions against the vivisection labs, boots/bricks through windows of fur companies and home demonstrations but that movement is not there any more.

So what are we left with?

We have a movement that is divided between outreach, lobbying and those that want to “Hit them head on”.

We have campaign groups like Animal Defenders International that are pressuring government and more over have managed made great strides towards getting wild animals banned in circuses.

On the other hand we have groups like The National Anti-vivisection Allience (NAVA), for example, who have managed to get many airlines to withdraw from transporting animals. We have seen other campaigners claim victory over clothes giant Flannels getting them to remove there fur.

And from the outreach side of the movement we have also seen massive vegan promoting festivals such as Vegfest that have attracted over 5 thousand people.

All these are great tactics.

We will see hundreds take to the streets Saturday 28th April 2012 for World Day for Animals in Laboratories bringing everyone together for one cause: Animal Liberation, Animal Rights!

The movement could remain divided with Outreach/Lobbying going one way and 'head on' going another but I'm going to put it to you:

A MOVEMENT DEVIDED IS A MOVEMENT THAT FAILS!

In this current climate we don't have the same numbers any more.
We don’t have tens of thousands taking to the streets for animal liberation.
We don’t even have thousands any more, we are a divided movement.
We have no help from the police / the Daily “fascist” Mail and other right wing shit stirrers giving there two fingers to the animal rights movement.

So I say its time to unite!

A movement united could achieve so much that a movement divided can not!
We need people to stand up and say 'enough is enough' its time to end animal cruelty.
Huntingdon Life Sciences are still around - we got to remember that 500 animals are killed there everyday!
Oxford's labs are still open we got to remember the countless deaths they cause!
Hereford seems to have fallen off the map Sequani labs still open!
Universities still perform animal testing!

We have soo many campaigns and not enough campaigners to do it.

My Analysis

While it is essential that we promote veganism and promote animal rights I must also state that it is essential we do not become keyboard warriors. We need to take to the streets onces again we need to unite and fight for those in cages and those in death labs across the world.

NAVA were very successful at getting airlines to stop transporting animals to there deaths.
CAFT have been very successful at getting fur removed from shops.
SHAC have been successful at campaigning against HLS.

All three are good campaigns with there heart in the right place but there are divisions we need to now fight for total liberation and we need to do it quickly.

We have seen the state's might against animal rights with disgusting disproportionate sentencing being handed out. Undoubtedly its put people off doing actions but this is exactly what shouldn't  happen, once a activist goes to jail there needs to be two more to take their place. If a campaign is shut down two more should spring up in response. We are people who care about animal liberation, we care about the suffering of animals - I urge you to take to the streets once again!

I urge you to join your local animal rights campaign, put on an educational event, organise a school speaker or organise a protest in your area.

Please don’t let those who are in the cages die alone and don't let the prisoners inside our prisons for animal rights/warfare suffer alone.

For the animals ...

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!

World Day for Animals in Laboratories 2011

All pics shamelessly nicked from

Matthew Orlinski

A New (Old) Militant Spirit At World Day for Lab Animals 2011!

World Day for Animals in Laboratories has long been a compliant A to B march a long way from the militant spirit displayed at the World Days of old. In the 'old days' (and I am actually only talking a few years ago) there was always a spirit of non-compliance and resistance. This spirit fed the movements energy and manifested itself in a movement that was ready for action and ready to be effective.

While resistance on an A to B march is not as effective as covert direct action it feeds an attitude that allows other resistance to take place but also is an effective tool as part of a diversity of tactics.    

This year in Manchester we began to see a return to this spirit from the young, fresh progressive faces within the movement. Although not everything attempted was successful the spirit is something we need to build on, not just at World Day but through out the movement if we are ever to return to the level of effectiveness we had prior to the SHAC trials. There are a number of groups that are pushing forward in this regard including recent SHAC actions and the campaigns against importing animals for experiments.

The first act of mild resistance on the march was an impromptu protest outside a Manchester lab building which saw marchers crossing the road away from the agreed route. While this may seem like nothing it is a mental barrier of authoritarianism being lifted slightly and moves the protest back into the control of the participant, away from authoritarian sterility.     

The second action was securing the safety and release of an activist who was attacked by security and detained by police. A reasonable sized group assisted with this and this is the minimum any activist should expect in terms of solidarity from other activists. The activist thanked everyone for their assistance at the end of the march, but there was no need at all. The only regret is that more did not assist.     

The next bit of creative, independent thinking was when a sit down protest was attempted by some activists and although this was short lived is exactly the type of autonomy we need to see.

Evidence gatherers attempted to film and photograph the sit down but were unable to do so effectively due to activists employing FITwatch tactics. After the sit down was over three activists  then continued the FITwatch action that eventually led to the removal of police evidence gatherers from the march.

There was also a protest against fur (in the middle of in all) at Armani, now that is creative thinking at its best! We should all think about how we can use A to B marches more effectively and not wait for others' instructions.

This is a significant step forward towards the non-compliant World Days of old and a move back to the days of an effective anti-authoritarian movement where the words 'there are no leaders' actually means something! Well done to all involved!

Mary Bale Charged with Animal Cruelty

A bit of moderately good news is the 'cat bin woman' Mary Bale has now been charged with animal cruelty. Bale has been charged with causing “unnecessary suffering to a cat” as well as “of not providing the animal with a suitable environment” - you don't say!

The investigation has been carried out by a charity, the RSPCA, because clearly it is not the police's job to investigate crime. No, clearly it is a non-profit charity that is funded by donations job to investigate crimes – wouldn't want to divert tax money from defending our corporate masters, would we now?

Hell, as far as the police are concerned throwing a cat in the bin isn't even against the law! As a police spokesperson put it at the time “we have not arrested the woman because she has not committed a criminal offence.” But then again neither is it a criminal offence for man to hit a woman with a baton or kill a newspaper seller when it comes to the cops, so no wonder they are so confused about the law. Poor things!

Anyway, now all that is left is for some Magistrate or Judge to dish out some insignificant slap on the wrist and  everyone will be happy, right?! Don't you just love our justice system?

Has UK Animal Rights Lost It's Edge?

Speaking after the second wave of guilty pleas from the SHAC trials DCI Andy Robbins, of Kent Police state “Since this investigation began in 2007, there has been a sustained reduction in criminal activity linked to animal rights extremism.”

Does the DCI have a point? Has state repression effectively crushed much of the militant edge that effectively complimented the lawful protests conducted by the vast majority of us in the movement? 

I have always been a lawful activist but appreciate the work of the underground. The effectiveness of lawful activity is often directly linked to the actions of more militant forces. Something I think some of my aboveground colleagues often forget.    

While it is certainly true that since the 2007 shake up things have improved and gradually got back to 'business as usual' within the community, it would be dishonest to over look the lasting effects the trials have had. The UK animal rights movement was very much shaken by the arrests and repressive sentences and there is no getting away from that.

To some extent the police repression has worked. Rather than simply fuelling the fires of resistance as has been the case in the past, the police have succeeded in crushing some of the spirit of militancy within the UK scene.

Peaceful activists are bullied by police at demonstrations and face repeated arrests. This is not an attack on 'unlawful activists' and it's time for us moderates to realise that! The police are not combating the 'extremists' they are combating all of us. The conditions are right for militancy.

My more experienced, older friends, tell me that the UK movement goes in waves. The UK animal rights movement has always been versatile and rebellious but how far will the police be allowed to push the movement before the next wave of rebellion begins?

'Cat Bin Woman' Mary Bale: Address Revealed

I have been watching the outpouring of anger against Mary Bale who cruelly threw a live cat in a bin. For once (with some exceptions) I have been proud of the public response to an animal cruelty case!

For those that haven't heard about the incident yet (if that is even possible) here is a brief summery:

Mary Bale was caught on CCTV putting a cat into a bin. The cat was rescued by her guardians but only after 15 long hours.

Bale was found after the cats guardians released the video to social media sites such as Youtube.

When Bale was identified she asked for police protection due to a few heated facebook comments and the police obliged saying she wasn't to be arrested as she hadn't broken any laws! However later Bale was taken to a police station for questioning (I am not clear if she was under arrest or was voluntarily attending). But the police attitude was typical – generally sticking up for the abuser as usual.

Bale has disgustingly described her sick actions as a 'joke' in the media saying 'I don't know what the fuss is about. It's just a cat'.

Media and police aside I think the public response to this has been good for once. For once an act of animal cruelty is being taken seriously. Sure there is moral schizophrenia in the public reaction to this case moaning about Bale as they bite into egg muffins – for which surplus male chicks were gassed to dead and often put live in to bin bags suffocating to death. But it is still heartening to see 'normal' people this angry about animal abuse!

For those that don't know about the egg industry watch this. At this unit in the States they don't gas chicks oh no, but they do throw them live into a high speed grinder:

We need to harness this anger and use it to end all forms of animal abuse. If people can care about a cat being put in a bin maybe there is hope for the millions of animals that are institutionally abused everyday.

Bale works at Royal Bank of Scotland:
RBS Rugby,
17 Church Street,
Rugby,
CV21 3PB
Tel +44 (0) 1788 543326
(Lawful contact only please)

For the safety of the animals of those that may know/live near her. I include her personal details for cross referencing only. Do not contact her in any way, this is to help you avoid the woman only. Please also verify accuracy. 

Mary Bale's Address:

Mary Bale
4 St. Michaels Rd,
Coventry
(024) 7644 1875
Work E-mail: mary.bale@rbs.co.uk

Why it's time to start loving state repression!

Warning Contains Ranting...  

Many people have blamed certain tactics for attracting state repression. Well yes they did and it's a good thing too! The reason tactics attract repression is they are effective. If they don't work Ians Skivens' and Superintendent Pearl's bosses really are not that bothered! The fact the animal rights movement has been so heavily repressed over recent years is a badge of honour that should be worn with pride.

We all know from experience that the type of police response you get on demos varies between targets (regardless of tactics) because the state is choosing to protect the target. It has nothing to do with upholding the law – the police will routinely break the law themselves to protect these institutions.

We must understand that it is not the type of tactics used, but their effect, that creates the overall response. Fans of legalism should look at the case of the Austrian animal activists locked up because their lawful campaign was being to effective!

If the entire movement escapes repression then it escapes all victories that are a challenge to the authority of corporate interests as well! It is time we started to love state repression because as it gets worse we know we are getting closer to effecting change. The more repressive measures we face head on the closer we are to an end to the cruelty and abuse the animals face on a daily basis.

The last thing we need to do now is to become intimidated by the repression or modify our tactics in a way that does not reflect what we have seen to be successful. The movement in the UK has inspired the animal rights movement worldwide but the battle is not won, indeed it has barely begun. Other social justice movements through out history have faced imprisonment, arrest and vilification – do we really expect change without it?

Artwork pinched from Banksy's site, copyright blah, blah, blah. He writes on people's walls anyway so what would he care?