ONE YEAR AFTER THE SABOTAGE OF THE PERLY SLAUGHTERHOUSE

Read below a text sent to us on the incarceration of Matthias, the slaughterhouse sabotage action in Switzerland last year and a call to action to show Matthias isn’t alone: 

Exactly one year ago, following the Geneva march for the end of speciesism, activists targeted the canton’s largest chicken slaughterhouse, temporarily disabling it and destroying the killing chain, computers, and the entire stock of speciesist “goods”, thus causing a direct attack on the murder economy of several tens of thousands of francs.(991,856 hens killed in 2018 in the canton, 8,000~ per week in this slaughterhouse, Tribune de Genève, Céline Garcin)

The activists had issued press releases explaining their action through various media. 

It was the first such action in Switzerland in at least 10 years. 

The idea is simple, however: as antispeciesists we all oppose every forms of animal exploitation and where there are the most victims are slaughterhouses. 

Since Matthias’ imprisonment, it has to be said that the repression has worked well. Where is the revolt, the sound of broken windows and the fear of speciesist businesses and multinationals that our egalitarian movement will resist it?

Where are the 250,000 vegans from Switzerland? At the sides of their brothers and sisters, in sanctuaries, and places of domination to resist with them? Or at the supermarket, credit card in hand? 

Matthias is innocent until proven guilty, this beautiful judicial system promises us. 

And yet, for the past 9 months he has been paying the price of our silence for a prosecutor who dreamed of seeing him held as a leader of actions for which there is STILL no proof. 

But since we no longer hear broken windows, it’s because he necessarily did it, right?

It seems obvious to us that the best way to help him, beyond supporting him morally and materially, is to make him this promise: when you’re getting out Matthias, the speciesist industry will have suffered many failures and we are one day closer to animal liberation.

We were neither silent nor fearful, we did not abandon our brothers and sisters to their fate by closing our eyes, we grabbed picks, bolt cutters, shovels and carboys to indicate everywhere and all the time that we are determined to resist their side regardless of our criminal record, regardless of the risks, because they are ready to be free at last! 

If his incarceration has taught us anything, it is this: solidarity is never an empty word. Solidarity is lived and proven on a daily basis. Not behind a keyboard. We went to meet activists from all over the world to share Matthias’ story and often the most distant people are the ones who do the most to get him out of his cell. 

But this is obviously not enough. In Switzerland it is urgently time to activate all the manoeuvres to denounce his incarceration.

This is a call to action. NOW!

Read the report from the slaughterhouse action last year here: 

“On the night of Saturday night, antispeciesist activists attacked a slaughterhouse in Perly, Canton Geneva, announced the activists in an anonymous letter. 

Upset citizens have decided to attack a slaughterhouse in Perly, which claims several thousand victims every week,” the anonymous message said.

“Science has long proven (…) the sentience (the ability to feel emotions and live a subjective life) that other animals show. They can rightly be considered as individuals, who deserve to live as long and happy a life as possible,” the letter continues.

“That is why antispeciesist activists decided to undermine this slaughterhouse, damaging its slaughter line, premises and stocks in the hope of temporarily preventing them from taking further lives and showing their refusal to see these morbid places exist.”

Please, help Matthias economically whilst he endures an illegal incarceration by donating on the link below:


https://www.cotizup.com/cagnotteantirepression

ON THE FORGE FARM MEATS BLOCKADE

As many people might have seen already, Forge Farm Meat’s was blockaded by ten activists during the early hours of Tuesday, lasting over twelve hours before being evicted and essentially bringing the whole murderous operation to a standstill. Below you can read the report of one of the folks involved in the action.

“We didn’t sleep. More for nerves than lack of preparation, but we didn’t sleep. A couple of hours before setting off, after having met with the team, most of us were pacing up and down without much to do. We shared strategy and agreed on the action boundaries. For the action, we are to remain non-violent and we are not interested in causing any damage to the infrastructure. Not because we are non-violent or because we don’t believe in sabotage, but because we need to create an action approachable and acceptable for those who have never considered direct action. 

 What happens next is a very quick succession of actions that I struggle to remember perfectly. We drive, we walk down a field wet with dew and we carry lock ons. We take turns carrying that heavy concrete box. A rug is thrown over the barbed wire and we all jump over and into the perimeter. Without opposition and with no workers to be seen, we find Death Row and six people stay whilst another four climb up on the waste silo. We hope they bring a cherry picker to evict the silo. 

 The police come incredibly quickly. Less than ten minutes into the action and they already are here. They shout, they shove people around and struggle with us. They keep shining torches at us whilst threatening us with a hose. They make sexist comments. I feel disgusted by them, even more than I do regularly. I look at the ACAB lock-on and smile. I’m not sure they get the point as one of them says “Who is Acab”?

 By the break of dawn, we can see a good few people already supporting us from outside, whilst eight police officers try to break us down. We don’t care. Today we act because of all the sheep these people murder. They are the subject of our action, they are the only important part. No amount of laughter from the cops, threatening behaviour from workers or words of discouragement from the owner of the slaughterhouse changes anything. Those sheep deserve a second chance, those sheep deserved to be listened to, and we act by extending a metaphorical microphone to them. They want to be free. We are just translating their agency into action that other humans can understand. 

The smell fills the air. You can chew it. It surrounds us all in sticky doom. It reminds us of the blood and body parts still rotting in the bins right next to us and of the number of individuals that have been murdered in the building for mere profit under the belief that other animals are lesser than we are. 

 I look back towards the sheep with my heart in my mouth. They look skinny, terrified, seeking a route to escape. One of them coughs very loudly. The sound hits against my ears, hard, and it worries me. The police don’t take notice. Sheep are things to them.

 A drone flies above us. It’s one of our comrades, signalling us, so some of us let off smoke grenades. I cannot wait to see the footage with the sun glowing orange behind us, the disgusting building underneath us and the smoke flying high, tarnishing the sky red. If that image doesn’t make people look, I don’t know what else we can do. 

 We insist on the fact that we are happy to leave the building and unlock if they release the sheep to a safe home. We have it all prepared, spaces for all of them, transport and regulated drivers. It is their call. They have the chance to redeem themselves, to start a new life, to become part of the solution. We are not naive though, and we know there is a very slim chance. 

 One by one, they get us out of the lock-ons and into arrest vans. We don’t walk, we go limp and make them carry us. Something turns in my stomach when I look back towards the holding pens and see the sheep. I’m being forced to leave them behind. 

 At the police station, they act like they are all new. It takes hours for each one of us to be processed and even longer to be interviewed. I think of every animal locked in a crate on their way to slaughter, every animal imprisoned in a box inside of a lab, every single one of them. I think of the sheep I met today and I puke. I will be here for a day maximum. They get life sentence. 

After the standard harassment of police and a very long arrest, one by one, all of us are let out with conditions. So many people have been waiting for us outside of the station with snacks and hugs. It is heartwarming and gives me back life. They remind me that the action was a success and explain how the media has reacted to it. They explain that thousands of people have commented or messaged in solidarity and that people keep saying they feel inspired and want to take action. 

I think about the last twenty-four hours. It’s been a ride. I only hope that people got the message that speciesism needs to be challenged and more and more comrades decide to stand against it unapologetically. A thought crosses my mind at speed; “what are we blockading next?”. I smile. I’ve only been out for a few minutes. I don’t think I can help myself.”

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FOUR RABBITS LIBERATED FROM FUR FARM, ACTION DEDICATED TO MATTHIAS.

24th August, UK

received anonymously via email.

“The UK keeps a dirty little secret. Although fur farming was banned almost two decades ago, trading fur considered as a “byproduct” is still alive and well throughout the country.

On the 24th of August we decided to expose one of the main companies still producing rabbit fur within the UK. T&S Rabbits breeds thousands of animals every month in different sites in Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire. They breed from chinchilla to New Zealand whites and many other breeds for their meat and fur.

They disguise the enterprise as free range and healthy, but the reality is very different. Bunnies stuck in the breeding hutches share about 1sqm between four.

We decided to target those specific breeding hutches and took four rabbits with us. Sadly, because the breeding corner was less than a hundred meters away from the farmer’s bedroom, we had to leave many more rabbits behind. The rabbits we took out of there were scared and not easy to grab. Cornering them and snatching them without hesitation but being mindful to support their backs. Rabbits can easily be shocked so be ready with a calm comfortable space with lots of snacks after your speedy escape.

They have now been distributed in safe homes and will live a life away from exploitation, but our work doesn’t end here. So many are still in that place and others like it.

Find T&S and get as many rabbits and chinchillas out of those hellholes. Make the farmers’ lives impossible. We must crush fur farming to the ground. We must end animal exploitation.

We want to dedicate this action to our comrade Matthias, still locked up (for nearly ten months now) without proof and without trial.

Until all are free. Until all prisons are destroyed. Until all chains are broken. Until all mouths are fed.

Until we win.

ALF”

NEW MERCH RELEASE, TALKS AND BADGER CULL!

Photo of a black hooded pullover jumper with an illustrated print on the front

During the London Animal Rights March we released a new bit of merch and kept it a little quiet, but we are now ready to release it online! 

Check our “For The Wild” zip hoodie, designed by Grisdansmavie, featuring two humans and two rabbits getting the fuck away from an animal exploitation facility in the middle of the night. 

It is now available on our website alongside our sticker packs and all the other merch you know and love. We’ve attempted to stock all sizes of all designs, so if you’ve been unable to find what you wanted, it is your chance now! Because we’ve been super busy travelling and organising stuff, a helping hand is really needed, so it might be a good time to grab yourself some awesome merch and show some support.

You can find all our merch here, grab yourself something and support UnoffensiveAnimal! 

A couple of weeks back we were in Switzerland talking to some folks at Hof Narr about security culture and direct action. We will upload a full report about it, but it was magnificient to meet so many people. Last week we spent a few days at the EF! Gathering and Animal Liberation Gathering in Co Durham. It is always a pleasure to meet with folks from all around the world fighting against climate change and for animal liberation. We did get one of us arrested on silly charges and quite a big group of comrades was arrested for blockading coal mines, so we will keep you updated about support if it is needed. This weekend we are in Sheffield with HeartCure giving a few talks during their Animal Liberation Gathering, so if you’re around pop by! 

All this stuff isn’t the only thing keeping us busy. The badger cull is coming up very soon and alongside our comrades at Underground Badger Syndicate we are getting ready for camp and cage smashing. 

As you can see, we are super busy and we really could do with support. If you want to give us a ghelping hand, consider donating to us. 

Our monthly donation scheme is down on Patreon, and even two or three dollars a month makes a huge difference: 
www.patreon.com/animalliberation

If you cannot donate monthly but would like to donate as a one-off, consider chucking some coins at us via paypal: 
www.paypal.me/unoffensiveanimal112

FOR THE WILD!

SIX HENS LIBERATED, GINEA FOWL ENCLOUSURE OPEN, BARNS REDECORATED.

22nd of August, South East, UK

received anonymously via email:

“During the early hours of the 22nd of August we crept through the night into a small farm which had many different animals held prisoner.

We sprayed MURDERERS, ALF and BIRDS WANT TO BE FREE on the front and inside of the sheds so they would have a nice surprise in the morning.

We opened the guinea foul enclosure but they seemed so traumatized they didn’t understand freedom. We hope some got away.

The chickens are now safe and will live a life free from exploitation. We only wish we could save more!

We will keep liberating and fighting until all are free.”

THIRTEEN RABBITS HELPED FREE.

17th August, France.

received anonymously via email:

“On the night of the 17th of August, 13 rabbits were helped to get free from the farm they were held prisoners in.

They were going to be murdered soon so that some humans could consume their flesh.

They were sequestered into small overcrowded cages and had never seen the sunlight. Most of them were pregnant females.

We took them far away from their torture camp. Today they feel the ground under their paws and the sun on their fur for the first time.

Our thoughts go in the first place to all the people we left behind in the camp, they are the resistants who are surviving in conditions we cannot even imagine. Our actions aren’t heroic, this is the least we can do to become accomplices of those people held prisoners.

It’s a moral duty for every antispeciesist to take action now, to take advantage of our human privilege to open all the gates.

No earthling should be imprisoned.

We have a thought for Matthias, our comrade held in Switzerland, and each activist suffering from the repression.

We’re just getting started. Expect us.”

RABBIT HELPED OUT OF TINY HATCH, DEDICATED TO ERIC KING.

20th August, Leeds UK.

received anonymously via email:

“This time around it isn’t a factory farm, but a fucking private house that has decided to keep a rabbit locked up in a hatch barely double their size.

As we approach the front garden we can see them moving franticly. With nothing to do, they keep ticking their head over and over. They are bigger than we expect and we have to wrestle them. After a couple of very tense minutes under the living room window, where their abusers are watching TV, they are safely put in their transporter and we walk out and into the car. They will now live in a home that will provide the space they need. They will be able to hop, run and hide, away from their prison.

As we drive away, we name them Eric. Eric has managed to escape their cage, but our comrade Eric King has been suffering in prison. Fascist screws have been throwing him in with Nazis, allowing them to kick the shit out of our comrade. The far right, fascist behaviour of the prison guards is not tolerable, from locking Eric in solitary to not allowing most letters he gets sent to even arrive and not giving him vegan food, he has certainly been having a really bad time in prison.

If you are not willing to break the law, at least support our comrades. Send love to our prisoners.

Get informed about Eric:
https://supportericking.org/

Send him letters of love and tell him this story!

Until every cage is empty, and every prison is burnt to the ground!

Animal Liberation Front.”

HUNTING TOWER SMASHED

14th August, Meiningen, Germany.

received anonymously via email:

“1 person, no tools – but you still can smash a hunting tower because every single 1 counts!

So if you are out there in the woods stumbling across something only built to kill, smash it! Don’t walk by, make a difference & destroy the shit!

Holiday greetings from the ALF”

MCDONALDS REDECORATED, ORDERING SCREEN AND WINDOW SMASHED IN SOLIDARITY WITH ACTIVIST AWAITING TRIAL.

15th August, New Hampshire USA. 

Received anonymously via email. 

“Continuing the call to solidarity with our comrades facing trial for disrupting McDonald’s. Through September 12th, cause as much damage to as many McMurder’s as possible. This is the frontlines of animal dismemberment and commodification, and the individuals purchasing from and keeping the machine running must be shown that resistance exists and is happening in their most comforting of places, so long as that comfort is at the expense of others.

We decided to disrupt a small little town in Alton, New Hampshire USA. This small population town, who has never considered the ones they consume, was forced to confront their harmful habits at the country’s most beloved location. We managed to capture two of our many messages on camera before we left. “Fuck Meat, McMurder,” and the ALF symbol were tagged on every side of the store. Once we had our fun redecorating, we absolutely obliterated one of the menu/ordering screens and the biggest window we could find. That should ensure the message is relayed to corporate. 

If we can throw a wrench in your gears and delay your sale of bodies for just one hour; if we can cause just one customer to second guess their purchase and turn around; if we can burn just one dollar from your pocket, we will be there and we will never stop until all are free. 

Respect existence or expect resistance. 

#Disruptmcdonalds 

ALF”

FOUR RABBITS LIBERATED FROM A FUR FARM.

3rd August, Spain.

received anonymously via email:

“On the night of the 3rd of August four rabbits were set free from cages and transported to a safe home.

This act was made as a symbolic action part of “Tu Abrigo Su Vida” (your coat, their life), the anarcho-vegan collective that will put an end to the fur industry in Spain.

This is just the beginning.

Expect us.”