Animal Liberation Press Office
Encyclopedia
Anonymity
Anonymity is derived from the Greek word ἀνωνυμία, anonymia, meaning "without a name" or "namelessness". In colloquial use, anonymity typically refers to the state of an individual's personal identity, or personally identifiable information, being publicly unknown.There are many reasons why a...
communiques
Communique
A communiqué is a brief report or statement released by a public agency.Communiqué may also refer to:* Communiqué , a rock band* Communiqué , 1979* Communiqué , 1987...
, photos and videos to the media about direct action
Direct action
Direct action is activity undertaken by individuals, groups, or governments to achieve political, economic, or social goals outside of normal social/political channels. This can include nonviolent and violent activities which target persons, groups, or property deemed offensive to the direct action...
undertaken by the Animal Liberation Front
Animal Liberation Front
The Animal Liberation Front is an international, underground leaderless resistance that engages in illegal direct action in pursuit of animal liberation...
(ALF), Animal Rights Militia
Animal Rights Militia
The Animal Rights Militia is a banner used by animal rights activists who engage in direct action that ignores the Animal Liberation Front's policy of taking all necessary precautions to avoid harm to human and non-human life.-History:...
(ARM), Animal Liberation Brigade, Justice Department
Justice Department (animal rights)
The Justice Department was founded in the United Kingdom by animal rights activists who declared they were willing to use violence against their opponents...
, and other leaderless resistance
Leaderless resistance
Leaderless resistance, or phantom cell structure, is a political resistance strategy in which small, independent groups , including individuals , challenge an established adversary such as a government. Leaderless resistance can encompass anything from non-violent disruption and civil disobedience...
within the animal liberation movement
Animal liberation movement
The animal-liberation movement, sometimes called the animal-rights movement, animal personhood, or animal-advocacy movement, is a social movement which seeks an end to the rigid moral and legal distinction drawn between human and non-human animals, an end to the status of animals as property, and...
. It states that it will "explain and seek to justify any action, whatever it may be," so long as it appears to have been carried out "with the sincere intention of furthering animal liberation
Animal Liberation
Animal liberation may refer to:*Animal rights, animals being considered as legal persons**Animal-liberation movement**Abolitionism , an abolitionist approach to animal rights**Veganarchism, a combined theory of animal liberation and anarchism...
." The North American press office also includes a newsletter, prisoner list and merchandise page.
The press offices position is that it receives claims of responsibility from anonymous cells, and that its officers "do not engage in illegal activities, nor do they know any individuals who do." In contrast, a British High court judge described press officer Robin Webb
Robin Webb
Robin Webb is an English animal rights activist. He is a former member of the ruling council of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals , and former director of Animal Aid...
as a "central and pivotal figure" in the ALF.
United Kingdom
The first press office was founded in the UK in October 1991. Media relations were originally handled by the Animal Liberation Front Supporters Group, but a new ALF press office was created to receive claims of responsibility anonymously, in order to avoid charges of conspiracy. The name was changed again, this time to the Animal Liberation Press Office, after the introduction of the Terrorism Act 2000Terrorism Act 2000
The Terrorism Act 2000 is the first of a number of general Terrorism Acts passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It superseded and repealed the Prevention of Terrorism Act 1989 and the Northern Ireland Act 1996...
, in order to avoid police attention, and to reflect that the office issues statements on behalf of a number of activist groups, not just the ALF.
Robin Webb, formerly a member of the RSPCA ruling council, runs the office in the UK.
North America
The press office in North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, also known as NAALPO, was co-founded in 1994, and re-opened in December 2004, by Steven Best
Steven Best
Steven Best is an American animal rights activist, author, talk-show host, and associate professor of philosophy at the University of Texas at El Paso...
, an associate professor of philosophy at the University of Texas, El Paso. The current press officers are:
- Jerry VlasakJerry VlasakJerry Vlasak is an American trauma surgeon and animal rights activist. He is a press officer for the North American Animal Liberation Press Office, a former director of the Animal Defense League of Los Angeles, and an advisor to SPEAK, the Voice for the Animals.Vlasak came to public attention in...
– trauma surgeon and former animal researcher. - Nicoal Sheen – co-founder of Band of Mercy Los Angeles, a grassroots animal rights collective.
- Will Hazlitt – photographer/filmmaker/writer and part of the R9 Media creative group.
Relationship with the ALF
High Court of Justice
The High Court of Justice is, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
judge ruled that Robin Webb was bound by an injunction banning protests at Oxford University. Webb had argued that he was a journalist and not a member of the ALF or its supporters group. According to The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, the judge described Webb as a "central and pivotal figure [in the ALF]," and concluded that "the press office was not a neutral reporting exercise or even simply a vehicle for apologists for the ALF, but a vital part of the ALF's strategy." In contrast, the North American press office claims:
See also
- Bite BackBite BackBite Back is a Malaysia-registered website and magazine that promotes the cause of the animal liberation movement, and specifically the Animal Liberation Front...
, Malaysia-registered website and magazine - Earth Liberation FrontEarth Liberation FrontThe Earth Liberation Front , also known as "Elves" or "The Elves", is the collective name for autonomous individuals or covert cells who, according to the ELF Press Office, use "economic sabotage and guerrilla warfare to stop the exploitation and destruction of the environment".The ELF was founded...
(ELF) - Earth Liberation Prisoner Support Network (ELPSN)
- Resistance: Journal of the Earth Liberation MovementResistance: Journal of the Earth Liberation MovementResistance: Journal of the Earth Liberation Movement was an environmentalist magazine that was created with the stated aim to "inform, inspire, and energize the earth liberation movement"...
, environmentalist magazine - Vegan Prisoner Support Group (VPSG)
External links
- North American Animal Liberation Press Office - NAALPO
- Animal Liberation Front Press Office - UK
- Animal Liberation Front website.