2023 IN REVIEW – UNOFFENSIVE REPORTS.

Another year has passed and because we apparently enjoy spending hours doing the maths, we have a list of the 2023 reported animal liberation actions by country, type and target!

It is worth mentioning, as always, that this list is in no way exhaustive as many people might decide to take action and not report it and because we keep an eye on platforms that use English, Spanish, Italian and German as their main languages, but we might’ve missed many other actions published in other platforms or by other countries! 



The total of reported animal liberation actions in 2023 is 99. Of those, 58 are sabotages, 30 are liberations and 11 are arsons.

Surprisingly and unlike other years, action against the flesh industry and sabotage against hunting infrastructure have equalised, with 40 reported actions against the meat industry and 41 against hunting. This is notable as in previous years we have seen a huge disparity in the numbers, with hunting infrastructure reported a lot more times than any other kind of target.

We’ve seen two reported actions against vivisection (both attacks against infrastructure, not liberations), we’ve received ten reports against fur farming (mostly coming from the USA as the campaign to free as many fur farmed animals as possible has continued) and six reports against animals used for entertainment, be it zoos, circus or the pet industry.

It is noteworthy on the action against fur farming that as well as seeing lots of farm releases in the USA, 2023 saw an arson at Saga Furs in Finland.

By country, this is the list of reported actions: 



United Kingdom: 22
Germany: 15
USA: 13
Italy: 12
France: 6
Sweden: 5
Belgium: 4
Chile: 4
Denmark: 3
Greece: 3
Ireland: 3
Spain: 3
Czech Republic: 2
Finland: 2
Australia: 1
Netherlands: 1

Italy and Germany as it has become the norm compete for the country with most reported anti-hunting actions, whilst the UK placed 1st on number of reported liberations, with almost 90% of the reported actions being liberations from flesh farms.

This year also saw Denmark kicking hard, with a lobster liberation report ending in a great pressure campaign that would force a supermarket to stop selling live lobsters, and with a report from a hatchery that mentioned 20k fertilised eggs had been destroyed before they could start being incubated.

The USA reminded us that targeted campaigning works, with multiple fur farms reported shut (via NAALPO), but it was Sweden that really celebrated the closure of a fur farm, as Niclas Peterson’s mink farm in Falkenberg was shut for good after an incredibly strong campaign.

We also reported over 50 actions related to the ECO struggle, a vast majority of them coming from the Atlanta Forest and the Mountain Valley Pipeline campaigns in the USA, but also a good chunk from Germany, which seems to have sprouted “Switch off!”, who are really leading the way in insurrectionary eco struggle in Europe.

In the prisoner support corner, it was great too hear that all folks arrested and charged because of T&S campaign related actions had been freed without sentences, but most importantly it’s been incredible to know that Eric King is finally free! 



See you in the new year, and until then, please go to a prison near you and make a fuck load of noise this evening, so that the people locked up know someone is celebrating with them! 


FIGHT BACK!

INDIVIDUALS SABOTAGE TWENTY SNARES.

December, Santiago Chile.

Via: @anarcoveganismo.info

ENGLISH (translation)

“Walking in the countryside near Lampa we found homemade traps for hares, with a metal stick buried underground holding a metal wire to catch wild species. We did not hesitate to dig them out and break them. There were 20 in total, they were rendered completely useless and taken away from the location.

We dedicate this small sabotage to Sebastian Oversluij Seguel, who was assassinated by the police a decade ago. He was an anarchist comrade who took part in many actions to further the animal liberation struggle, being part of the antispeciesist fight using direct action with everything he had available and pushing his politics forward.

Sabotage wherever you go, do not stay put! 

Total liberation, against all cages, against all authority.”

SPANISH (original)

Individualidades sabotean 20 trampas para liebres.

Recibido de forma anónima:

“Caminando por un sector rural cercano a Lampa, logramos identificar la instalación de trampas caseras destinadas a la caza de liebres, las cuales estaban enterradas en la tierra con un fierro que amarraba alambres para la captura de especies silvestres. No dudamos ni un segundo en desenterrarlas y romperlas. Eran 20 en total, quedaron inutilizables y fueron retiradas del sector.

Dejamos registro de este pequeño sabotaje en memoria de Sebastián Oversluij Seguel, a 10 años de su asesinato por un mercenario del capital. Compañero anárquico que realizó diversas acciones por la liberación animal, aportando a la lucha antiespecista de acción directa con lo que tenía a su alcance, sin delegar a nadie más que a sus propias convicciones.

Sabotea donde sea que vayas, no te quedes inmóvil.

Liberación total, contra toda jaula, contra toda autoridad.”

ANIMA NATURALIS RESCUES SIX RABBITS DURING THEIR RABBIT MEAT FARM INVESTIGATION.

7th December (delayed report), Spain.

[EDITOR’S NOTE: We have selected a short excerpt from their report, which can be found on their website.]

Via: Anima Naturalis.

ENGLISH (translation)

“The images we obtained during the investigation are heartbreaking, but today I’d like to share with you a little bit of hope beyond so much injustice. This is the story about the nights we managed to liberate six lucky bunnies out of that hellhole.

[…]

Mikel, Floc, Marta and New weren’t even two weeks old when we found them in that hole. They were walking over faeces, surrounded by parasites and without access to water or food. We don’t know how long they had been there, but we know they wouldn’t have survived much longer.

Hygiene in the farm was non-existent. The cages were old and rusty, some even broken. When we looked around we saw multiple baby rabbits on the floor, so we decided to take as many as we could.

[…]

We started running around the farm and managed to catch four, making them comfortable in a warm box. As soon as we arrive to the car with the four buns sleeping tightly the anxiety cleared and turned in relief. The worse had already past.

[…]

They all had fungal infections, parasites and were malnourished. Mikel was the weakest. His body couldn’t pull through and was the first one to die. Marta didn’t make it either, even tho their caregivers did their very best.

[…]

The good news is, Floc and Neu made it! Now they live happy, almost a year later, enjoying the attention, their big bunny family and the space to express their natural behaviours.

[…]”

SPANISH (excerpt, find it in full on their website).

“Las imágenes que obtuvimos [durante la investigacion] son desgarradoras, pero hoy quiero compartir contigo un poco de esperanza entre tanta injusticia. Se trata de las noches en las que logramos liberar de aquel infierno a 6 afortunados.

[…]

Los pequeños Mikel, Floc, Marta y Neu apenas tendrían dos semanas cuando los encontramos en aquel foso. Estaban sobre excrementos, rodeados de insectos y sin acceso a comida ni agua. No sabemos cuánto tiempo llevaban ahí, pero tenemos claro que no habrían podido sobrevivir muchas horas más.
Las condiciones de higiene de la granja eran pésimas. Las jaulas se veían antiguas y oxidadas, y algunas incluso rotas. Al inspeccionar el lugar vimos varios gazapos en el suelo, así que decidimos llevarnos todos los que pudiéramos.

[…]

Comenzamos a recorrer la nave a toda velocidad, conseguimos atrapar a cuatro y los acomodamos en una caja caliente. Sólo fue al llegar al coche, con los cuatro durmiendo plácidamente, cuando toda la angustia se tornó en alivio. Lo peor ya había pasado.

[…]

todos ellos tenían hongos, parásitos y estaban desnutridos. Mikel, el pequeño Mikel… él era el más débil. Su cuerpecito no pudo recuperarse y fue el primero en morir. Tampoco lo logró Marta, a pesar de los esfuerzos de sus cuidadores.

[…]

¡La buena noticia es que Floc y Neu lo consiguieron! Ellos siguen viviendo felices, casi un año después, y disfrutan de todas las atenciones, una gran familia de conejos y espacio para desarrollar sus comportamientos naturales”

THE ANIMAL LIBERATION FRONT CELEBRATES CHRISTMAS BY ATTACKING NATIONAL HUNTING INFRASTRUCTURE.

24th December, provincial di Milano, North Italy

[EDITOR’S NOTE: As far as we can tell, Federacaccia is the National Hunting federation in Italy, and EnalCaccia is a national union for hunters and fishermen. Their offices were targeted with spray paint and by pouring paint over walls and doors.]

ENGLISH (translation):

“EnalCaccia and Federcaccia offices attacked.

Every hunter’s Christmas is dirty with the blood of their victims! Hunting is legalized murder and where the law is unjust, disobedience is a must.

In these festive days we wanted to remember all the victims of hunting including the dog Uma who was killed by a hunter in front of her owner- a child! Hunters: you are the violent ones!

We will continue to fight in every way until all animals can live free and be recognized as sentient beings with their own innate rights and not seen as objects for the use and consumption of the ‘criminal human.

On the wolf issue, we wanted to respond to the statement of MEP Fiocchi who said that between the wolf and the sheep he chooses the sheep: those who, like him, are on the front lines of killing innocents in the course of hunting activity, certainly cannot choose to stand next to another innocent person who is certainly also food on his plate. We have too much respect for the wolf to compare him to Fiocchi who pretends not to know that while the wolf kills by nature, hunters like him do it for pure enjoyment. Shame on him.

Long live the wolf!

ANIMAL LIBERATION FRONT”

ITALIAN (original)

“colpite le sedi di EnalCaccia e Federcaccia.

Il Natale di ogni cacciatore è sporco del sangue delle loro vittime! La caccia è un assassinio legalizzato e laddove la legge è ingiusta, la disobbedienza è un atto dovuto.

In questi giorni di festa abbiamo voluto ricordare tutte le vittime della caccia tra cui il cane Uma che è stato ucciso da un cacciatore davanti al suo proprietario: un bambino! Cacciatori: i violenti sieti voi!

Continueremo a lottare in ogni modo fino a quando tutti gli animali potranno vivere liberi ed essere riconosciuti come esseri senzienti con propri diritti innati e non visti come oggetti ad uso e consumo dell’ umano criminale.

Sulla questione lupo abbiamo voluto rispondere all’affermazione dell’ eurodeputato Fiocchi che ha detto che tra il lupo e la pecora sceglie la pecora: chi, come lui, è in prima linea nell’ uccidere gli innocenti nello svolgimento dell’ attività venatoria, non può di certo scegliere di stare accanto ad un altro innocente che di sicuro è anche cibo nel suo piatto. Abbiamo troppo rispetto per il lupo per paragonarlo a Fiocchi che finge di non sapere che mentre il lupo uccide per natura, i cacciatori come lui lo fanno per puro divertimento. Vergogna!

Viva il lupo! i

ANIMAL LIBERATION FRONT”

MOUNTAIN VALLEY PIPELINE ACTIVISTS FOLLOWED AND HARRASSED.

(Reports from local media)

As Mountain Valley Pipeline and its benefactors become more desperate to complete this pipeline, protestors have seen increased violence from workers, malicious prosecution in the courts, and a complicit police force willing to carry out the dirty work of the state. Despite these unprecedented levels of repression against pipeline protesters in this region, people are still finding ways to disrupt work where possible. Today, folks decided to take back their own roads.

Across three locations at least 30 pipeline workers were slowed, stuck behind protesters in cars and on bikes. These actions not only slowed down work but also put the brakes on workers who have been known to drive recklessly. There have been reports of a high frequency of of DUIs among pipeline workers, as well as complaints from those who live along the routes they use to get to work. As long as MVP construction on this pipeline persists, people will continue acting to ensure MVP will not be allowed to damage the environment and endanger local communities.

Join the fight against the MVP: bit.ly/aapintakeform

MOUNTAIN VALLEY PIPELINE ACTIVIST INCARCERATED

Last week, a pipeline fighter was sentenced to three months in jail for stopping construction on a Mountain Valley Pipeline drill site as part of a mass action in October. A Montgomery County judge imposed this sentence after the land defender took their case to trial rather than pleading guilty to the misdemeanor charges. During their first week in jail, they released this statement:

“In considering the prosecution’s plea offer, I felt how much the state threatens you by fear- fear of loss, fear of the unknown, attachment interrupted. The threat isn’t necessarily in the months or convictions, it’s. in the assurance that they could do it even worse. Jail is made to make people fearful, yet people endure it all the time. In recent weeks, I’ve experienced how people come to know their own strengths and how they
handle their fear.

For ‘brave people’, fear still comes up. It’s a feeling that comes and goes like all other feelings. Fear is mixed in with feelings of freedom, empowerment, aliveness. These feelings can all exist in the same cell, considering the same plea offer, anticipating the same unknown futures. But a lot can change in how we relate to the feelings.

Nothing is guaranteed in the jail/legal system, etc. There are “rights” granted to defendants/prisoners, and then there is reality. Jail seeks to objectify us and detach us from ourselves, from our strength. By way of overt abuses to simple ignoring, COs and all their kin (*REDACTED*) aim to disappoint, to assert that they are in charge of this building/reality, and to claim they are in charge of us. By way of fear, we learn to manage our behaviors to do what they want, even if we don’t want to.

We have some say in how much we lose track of ourselves. Following their procedures to play the game is different than believing it’ll work. The game is set up to pit you against yourself, use your expectations and attachments against you, turning them into losses, again reinforcing fear of the unknown.

Of course we have human vulnerabilities, mental health shit, trauma shit, all of which is exacerbated in jail. But we need to be careful to not overstate our vulnerabilities and limitations. I’ve lived through many hells and I know shit can get dark. I’m also not an expert on these kinds of moments for myself in a jail context. Inside, it’s acute activation.

It’s times of living in the abusive relationship, not the times of healing from it.
It’s also the times of endurance, compassion, commitment, caring for each other, and dignity in a place that’s actively trying to break all that.

I feel very lucky. While my problems are personal and difficult to me, they are relatively minimal. I’m surrounded by people who have shown tons of kindness and support, in this pod and outside these walls. People are making sure I’m sufficiently fed, caffeinated, entertained, and avoiding petty fuck ups. The vibe is caring for each other and keeping spirits high, or at least calm. The environment I came from into jail is full of wild, cackling laughter. Laughter of strength and freedom and defiance. I feel lucky to experience the same here. In both places it interrupts my sleep, and in both it makes me smile.

I hope my time in jail inspires others to be a little more brave in whatever ways make sense for them. Kill the cop in your head, let’s be stronger together. End all settler colonialism and extractive industries. Doom to the pipeline. Defend the forest everywhere.”

PRISON TIME IS NOT A HOLIDAY – PRISONER SOLIDARITY

Being locked up in prison can be a really lonely time. Especially over the so-called holidays. Receiving or answering letters can therefore be very important in these dark days, for our comrades in prison. Why don’t you bring some light and write!

If you have a friend in prison, you can send them a postcard to let them know they are not forgotten. If this is the first time you are writing to a prisoner, we have a list of prisoners to send letters to. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be highlighting various prisoners that may need some attention.

First out is our friends in the SUSARON4. You could simply write an email to the following address, specifying which one of them you are sending it to: [email protected]

Write to:

RU/GATO is an anarcho-nihilist, vegan, straight edge prisoner. He is 28 years old, loves animals and hates drugs. He maintains his belief in illegal direct action as the tool to fight for animal and total liberation. He considers himself a proud political prisoner against the business that controls the Chilean territory.

PANDA is a straight edge, vegan anarchist prisoner. He is 26 years old. Enemy of the law and order forcefully imposed by the capitalist system. Loves nature, ecosystems, animals and simplicity. Proud political prisoner, honest with his politics and vehemently in favour of animal and human liberation from the business-territory so-called Chile.

ITA is a vegan, straight edge prisoner. She is 23 years old. She loves nature, animals and specially colours and cats! She opposed the system and the so called law and order. Proud antispeciesist political prisoner. She feels calm and patient with the consequences of the illegal fight against speciesism.

TORTU is a vegan, anarcho-nihilist, straight edge political prisoner. Hates the system, loves nature, animals and freedom for all. Proud political prisoner for animal liberation.

Find out more about SUSARON4:s case at: https://unoffensiveanimal.is/prisoner-support/

NEVER ALONE / NEVER FORGOTTEN – BURN EVERY PRISON AND SLAUGHTERHOUSE – SOLIDARITY FOREVER

SIX TURKEYS ESCAPE RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

23rd December, France.

Received anonymously via email:

“Liberation of 6 turkeys right before Christmas. ( France )

These 6 individuals were sequestrated in a factory farm.

They are now safe and free and will live the rest of their life in a sanctuary, where they will be able to express themselves fully.

Our thoughts go to all the turkeys we were not able to take with us, and all the victims of this “Christmas celebration / consumerism time”

We can all do something, and take action to help them escape from hell

They need all of us, to resist by their side.

Until all are free !”

“OPERATION CUORE LIBERI” : FOUR PIGS LIBERATED

via: 269 Liberation animale

3rd December, europe?

“HIT REPORT OF THE “CUORE LIBERI OPERATION” : FOUR PIGS LIBERATED FROM A FACTORY FARM ON THE NIGHT OF THE THIRD OF DECEMBER [DIRECT ACTION FROM THE 269 LIBÉRATION ANIMALE COLLECTIVE] !

We were shrouded in mist on that night, like a very welcomed protection.

Thieves met up in an improbable place, for the usual briefing ritual, before the action.

So happy to get together, once again, under the moonlight. We hugged and cheared each other up, to give ourselves courage.

Then, around midnight, we sunk into this other half of the world. The one that starts where small country roads end. Behind creepy hangars, where, “others” are nothing more than bodies to kill. Fully trapped by capitalism, except maybe for their screams.

As always, the first team went few minutes ahead towards the massive factory farm.

Pigs were sleeping, snuggling with one another in their holding pens. It was painfully beautiful.

Our truck comes, and, organised in teams of four comrades, we start lifting pigs from the ground, covered in filth.

It’s hard.

We struggle.

We do it again and again, over and over.

We run out of breath while carrying them, as they’re already very heavy.

But eventually, we manage.

Four pigs are in the truck and we fuck off before cops arrive.

A beautiful story of a liberation, that we share, wishing for rage and anger to rise. And to mourn all the liberations that never happened, on that same night.

Politics sits in that gap.

We write to avenge them.

Our vehicles left the country with, at the back, some who will get to live.

While hundreds of ghosts come to tap on our shoulders, every night ever since.

The four pigs were transported to an allied sanctuary where they’re starting up a new life.

We post this report, wanting the practice of direct action to spread and for the flame to burn hotter and brighter in the heart of every comrade who’s reading us.

Suddenly, we come out of traditional paths, of lame protests, to invent something else.

Something that doesn’t depend on adhesion, but on being stronger than what we’re up against.

We have to accept that our struggles have to be offensive, threatening. We have to be in a spirit of conflict, with all hopes and limits this political tactic comes with.

On our long way home, we remembered all the pigs liberated by 269 Animal Liberation since 2016 : this gorgeous bunch of escapees, with Malcolm, Charlotte, Patrick, Serhildan, Sacco, Vanzetti, Sissi, Pino, Pomme, Y., Y., and so many others.

No matter who they are or where they are today, we all belong to the same community, forever bonded.

This action is dedicated to our Italian comrades, from the « Cuore Liberi » sanctuary, who lost 9 pig comrades, murdered by the veterinary police : The State will never be the ally of our struggles for liberation.”