Bite Back
Encyclopedia
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...
, and specifically 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). According to The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
, the name is inspired by an arson campaign targeting the American fur industry throughout the 1990s.
Its founder and editor, Nicolas Atwood
Nicolas Atwood
Nicolas Atwood is an American animal rights activist based in West Palm Beach, Florida. He maintains the Malaysia-registered Bite Back direct-action website, which is associated with the Animal Liberation Front.-Background:...
, has said that Bite Back's mission is to "support animal rights prisoners of conscience and report on current events in the struggle."
The website also receives anonymous
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...
of political violence
Political violence
Political violence is a common means used by people and governments around the world to achieve political goals. Many groups and individuals believe that their political systems will never respond to their political demands. As a result they believe that violence is not only justified but also...
, including those by the 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), 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 Animal Liberation Brigade.
Background
Bite Back was set up in 2001 by Atwood, an animal rights activist in West Palm Beach, FloridaWest Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
. In March 2005, Atwood set up a Florida-based company, Bite Back Inc, to operate the site and magazine sales.
Forum
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...
taken in pursuit of animal liberation
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
. In 2006, it was used to encourage attacks against Oxford University, publishing personal details of academics and calling on supporters to "do whatever it takes" to "blow these fucking monsters off the planet".
In 2007, when incendiary devices were found at Templeton College, Oxford
Templeton College, Oxford
Templeton College was one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford, England. It was an all-graduate college, concentrating on the recruitment of students in business and management studies....
, Biteback reported a claim of responsibility on behalf of the Animal Liberation Front: "This latest action is part of an ongoing fight against the University of Oxford and its continued reign of terror over the unseen victims inside its animal labs."
The FBI, while reportedly aware of the site, say action against it would breach the First Amendment
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
protecting freedom of speech
Freedom of speech
Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used...
.
In 2005, Bite Back published a "Direct Action Report," listing action carried out by activists on a global scale. It writes that, in 2004, 17,262 animals were liberated, and 554 acts of sabotage
Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
, vandalism and arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
were carried out.
See also
- Arkangel MagazineArkangel (magazine)Arkangel is a British-based bi-annual animal liberation magazine, first published in the winter of 1989. The magazine, which is sold internationally, covers global aspects of underground and overground animal rights campaigning, and promotes a vegan lifestyle.The magazine was the idea of Ronnie...
- No Compromise MagazineNo Compromise (magazine)No Compromise was a San Francisco, California, USA-based bi-annual animal rights magazine, first published in the winter of 1989. The magazine covered global aspects of animal rights and promoted a vegan lifestyle, which included the use of cruelty-free products.The magazine was founded by Freeman...
- 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"...