Defend Direct Action
2nd April, Midlands, UK.
received anonymously via email:
“Larsen trap found and swiftly crushed. These nasty traps target crows, magpies and other corvids but not on our watch!
Our hearts are warmed by the news that Marius Mason will be released from prison next month. This made us jump even higher. Love and solidarity to you Marius from across the pond.”
13th April, North America.
received anonymously via email:
“A Puppy breeder sign was noticed over the week. Activist went back under the cover of night and covered their contact info as to disrupt the sales of individuals exploited for money.
Shame on breeders.”
Marius has been serving a 22 year long sentence accused of arson at a University GMO research facility, logging infrastructure and a mink farmer’s boats. He was locked up in 2008 after his arrest, and later sentenced in 2009. He has been an incredibly resilient activist behind bars, where he transitioned, set up Jan 22: Day of Solidarity with Trans Prisoners, fought for his own legal name change as well as for his ability to be moved to a male prison and has kept supporting workers rights, animal rights and environmental campaigns.
Last week it was announced that in May Marius will be released to a half way house in Detroit. We don’t know what the conditions will be, but this is huge news and cause for celebration.
For now, if you can afford it, please support Marius by sending some money to his fund: https://supportmariusmason.org/support/
We will keep you updated with any news on his release, but please if you can, donate so he has a smooth transition to the outside world.
Solidarity always, across all struggles, smashing down the walls that keep us apart.
[editor’s note: This writing is an extract from AFN, find all the info on www.animalfreedom.org.uk and on @animalfreedomuk on socials.]
Last year, the Animal Freedom Network (AFN) was launched to unite, inspire, and grow the UK grassroots animal freedom movement. Powered by local communities and groups, the network has created a space where street-level activists can share ideas, work together, and build a mass movement for liberation.
This month has seen a flurry of action across the UK. In Scotland, actions against the horrific Guga Hunt on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland have continued to intensify. Every year, 2,000 gannet chicks are clubbed to death in a practice illegal everywhere else in the UK. With a petition of over 100,000 signatures due to be debated in the next parliament, two campaigners scaled the roof of NatureScot, which licences the hunt, wearing gannet costumes and chaining themselves to chimney stacks. They remained up there for three days before being removed by the police. Last month, NatureScot had its windows smashed and walls painted.
At the other end of the country, two suspiciously human-shaped penguins climbed onto the roof of Bournemouth Oceanarium during one of their regular protests as 20 activists staged a vibrant protest below them. The action was part of an ongoing campaign by Dorset Animal Action to close the Ocenarium The campaign against MBR Acres, a factory farm in Cambridgeshire that breeds 2,000 dogs a year for research, continues to demonstrate the power of pressure campaigning.
In March, MBR lost more than one supplier per week, including their insurance provider HSB. The insurance firm (and its parent company) chose to distance itself from MBR after three protestors took to the eighth floor of its Manchester offices to demand a meeting with senior management. The MBR Suppliers campaign aims to remove every supplier MBR needs to operate, thereby closing them down. So far, 65 companies have joined the boycott.
Despite the government attempting to stifle protests by classifying ‘life sciences’ as Key National Infrastructure, the campaign shows no sign of slowing. In Leeds, the campaign’s mascot, a human-sized beagle called ‘Frankie’, was wheeled on an office chair from the top floor of BT’s Leeds offices all the way to the entrance. But not before every employee on-site knew where their money comes from. BT are currently in crisis talks about its connection to MBR Acres.
There have also been run-ins and disruptions at fur shops across the UK, particularly those connected to Louis Vuitton, as part of an international campaign by CAFT.
As well as the direct action against NatureScot, grassroots activists have also painted billboards advertising a zoo in Southampton, painted walls and glued locks at companies involved in creating gas chambers for pigs and supplying the egg industry. Dozens of chickens have also been liberated from a farm in Northern England.
World Day for Animals in Laboratories will be taking place in London on April 25th. The meeting point is Trafalgar Square at 11 am. Let’s make this protest as big, bold, and powerful as possible! There is also a Northern World Day event on Wednesday, 22nd April, near the War Memorial in St Peter’s Square, Manchester, at 12 pm for a mobile protest against several MBR Suppliers.
By building solid local groups and communities, the grassroots animal freedom movement is proving itself a force to be reckoned with.
23rd March, Utah USA.
According to local press, a farm in Utah was attacked by unknown activists, who destroyed equipment and machinery as well as slashing 14 tyres, leaving a 35k dollars trail of destruction. The graffiti left on scene read ‘Meat is Murder’ and ‘ALF’.
Owner of the farm Ranon Reber said “They drilled a bunch of holes through all the tires and knocked off all the valve stems, just being destructive.” [ … ] “It doesn’t make any sense, if anything, we’re actually making food for the animals. I mean, it’s obvious they don’t know what they’re doing.” According to his wife, activists drilled holes on tyres as well as knocking off air valves.
Police is asking for information regarding the incident and farming lobby groups are offering a 10k USD reward for information about the action.
long run the fox!
April, Southern Sweden.
received anonymously via email:
“In April, southern Sweden, several placards promoting a circus that exploits animals were sabotaged with spraypaint.
/ALF”
4th April Houdan France.
received anonymously via email:
“Paris’s Region pork industry has a dark future ahead
On the night of the 4th of April, a well meant anti specist group set fire to a bunch (15-ish) of refrigerated trucks belonging to the Paris Terroir’s slaugtherhouse (formerly know as Guy Harang) in Houdan.
Targeting the logistics behind animal trade is targeting the inner workings of specism and capitalism. Pigs, like all the other animals, do not want to participate in this morbid society !
Fire to the slaughterhouses, end to all opressions !
ALF (Anarchistes Lance Flamme)
[Ps : Reformists groups, do not fall for the trap of acceptability. These actions save the lives that you defend.]”
Tinka and Zulu are two humans from so called Germany that have suffered a heavy raid by the cops linked to an investigation on the destruction of hunting towers and other hunting infrastructure. Their phones, laptops and other tech infrastructure were seized, and Zulu was evicted from their house by the landlord due to the raid. They are being investigated under § 129 (formation of a criminal organization), which is an extreme legal overreach but it is increasingly being used against climate activists in Germany.
They are asking for support to face the difficulties of surviving repression by the state, so if you can help them in any way, please drop some coins in their GoFundMe.
Solidarity always!
21st March, Southampton UK.
received anonymously via email:
“Inspired by the liberation of dogs bred for research in the US, but tired of dreaming of ‘the big one’, I decided to take action.
While friends were socialising, I painted two billboards in Southampton advertising a local zoo with ‘ZOO = PRISON’. I know this was a small act, but this was my first direct action for animal liberation. It won’t be my last.
MBR Acres and factory farms across the UK won’t empty themselves through dreaming. We owe it to the animals to build the skills and confidence we need to do it ourselves. That starts with some paint, a glued lock, a broken window… Get out there, and good luck.”
22nd March, Birmingham UK.
received anonymously via email:
“JBT Marel, Birmingham UK. March 22nd.
This company was targeted for their production of gas chambers in which pigs are tortured in their MILLIONS every single day or as they like to call them “CO2-group stunning systems”.
Their locks were also glued up…. I was just leaving and realised their nice cream wall could do with some colour so “EVIL CUNTS” was also spray painted on (not pictured).”
