no saving animals fer you, you anti-american terrorist pinko nazi.....

[Guest guest]

http://counterpunch.org/potter05292004.html

 

May 29 / 31, 2004

Protest Torture of Animals; Get Arrested as a " Terrorist "

The New War on " Terror "

By WILL POTTER

 

The Bush administration sent a calculated message to grassroots

political activists this week: The War on Terrorism has come home.

 

FBI agents rounded up seven American political activists from across

the country Wednesday morning, and the U.S. Attorney's Office in New

Jersey held a press conference trumpeting that " terrorists " have been

indicted.

 

That's right: " Terrorists. " The activists have been charged with

violating the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act of 1992, which at the

time garnered little public attention except from the corporations

who lobbied for it. Their crime, according to the indictment,

is " conspiring " to shut down Huntingdon Life Sciences, a company that

tests products on animals and has been exposed multiple times for

violating animal welfare laws.

 

The terrorism charges could mean a maximum of three years in prison

and a $250,000 fine. The activists also face additional charges of

interstate stalking and three counts of conspiracy to engage in

interstate stalking: Each count could mean up to five years in

prison and a $250,000 fine.

 

Since September 11, the T-word has been tossed around by law

enforcement and politicians with more and more ease. Grassroots

environmental and animal activists, and even national organizations

like Greenpeace, have been called " eco-terrorists " by the

corporations and politicians they oppose. The arrests on Wednesday,

though, mark the official opening of a new domestic front in the War

on Terrorism.

 

Bush's War on Terrorism is no longer limited to Al Qaeda or Osama Bin

Laden. It's not limited to Afghanistan or Iraq (or Syria, or Iran, or

whichever country is next). And it's not limited to the animal rights

movement, or even the campaign against Huntington Life Sciences. The

rounding up of activists on Wednesday should set off alarms heard by

every social movement in the United States: This " war " is about

protecting corporate and political interests under the guise of

fighting terrorism.

 

The activists arrested are part of a group called Stop Huntingdon

Animal Cruelty, an international organization aimed solely at closing

the controversial lab. The group uses home demonstrations, phone and

email blockades, and plenty of smart-ass, aggressive rhetoric to

pressure companies to cut ties with the lab. It has worked. The lab

has been brought near bankruptcy, after international corporations

like Marsh Inc. have pulled out their investments.

 

To most, this is effective--albeit controversial--organizing.

According to the indictment, though, it's " terrorism " because the

activists aim to cause " physical disruption to the functioning of

HLS, an animal enterprise, and intentionally damage and cause the

loss of property used by HLS. "

 

That's like saying the Montgomery bus boycott, a catalyst of the

civil rights movement, was terrorism because it aimed

to " intentionally damage and cause the loss of property " of the bus

company.

 

It seems the biggest act of " terrorism " by the group is a website.

Members of the group are outspoken supporters of illegal direct

action like civil disobedience, rescuing animals from labs, and

vandalism. Whenever actions-legal or not-take place against the lab,

the group puts it on the website. The activists are not accused of

taking part in any of these crimes.

 

Such news postings are so threatening, apparently, that the

indictment doesn't even name the corporations that have been

targeted. They are only identified by single letters, like " S. Inc. "

or " M. Corp. "

 

" Because of the nature of the campaign against these companies, we

didn't want to subject them further to the tactics of SHAC, " said

Michael Drewniak, spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office in New

jersey, in an interview.

 

Some of the wealthiest corporations on the planet, and the U.S.

Attorney's Office must protect them from a bunch of protesters. This

is what the War on Terrorism has become: The Bush administration can't

find real terrorists abroad, yet it spends law enforcement time and

resources protecting corporations from political activists.

 

The lawsuit is so outlandish that some activists, who asked that they

not be identified, said they don't think it is intended to win.

Instead, they see it as an important political move in the War on

Terror. In a hearing before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee

just last week, a U.S. Attorney said the Animal Enterprise Terrorism

Act needed to go further to successfully be used against Stop

Huntingdon Animal Cruelty. If this lawsuit fails, the Justice

Department can say, " We told you so. "

 

So, these activists face a double-edged sword. If they lose, they go

to prison, and are labeled " terrorists " for the rest of their lives.

If they win, it could be fodder for an even harsher political

crackdown.

 

Their only chance is for activists of all social movements--

regardless of their political views--to support them, and oppose the

assault on basic civil liberties. Otherwise, in Bush's America, we

could all be terrorists.

 

Will Potter is a freelance reporter in Washington, D.C. He has

written for the Chicago Tribune, Dallas Morning News, and Chronicle

of Higher Education, and close followed the emergence of " domestic

terrorism. "

 

He can be reached at: william.potter

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

I reckon that the sole reason they bought in 'terrorism' acts was so

they could stop normal people protesting. Right from when the anti-

globalisation protests started they've been scared.

 

Jo

 

, EBbrewpunx@c... wrote:

> http://counterpunch.org/potter05292004.html

>

> May 29 / 31, 2004

> Protest Torture of Animals; Get Arrested as a " Terrorist "

> The New War on " Terror "

> By WILL POTTER

>

> The Bush administration sent a calculated message to grassroots

> political activists this week: The War on Terrorism has come home.

>

> FBI agents rounded up seven American political activists from

across

> the country Wednesday morning, and the U.S. Attorney's Office in

New

> Jersey held a press conference trumpeting that " terrorists " have

been

> indicted.

>

> That's right: " Terrorists. " The activists have been charged with

> violating the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act of 1992, which at the

> time garnered little public attention except from the corporations

> who lobbied for it. Their crime, according to the indictment,

> is " conspiring " to shut down Huntingdon Life Sciences, a company

that

> tests products on animals and has been exposed multiple times for

> violating animal welfare laws.

>

> The terrorism charges could mean a maximum of three years in prison

> and a $250,000 fine. The activists also face additional charges of

> interstate stalking and three counts of conspiracy to engage in

> interstate stalking: Each count could mean up to five years in

> prison and a $250,000 fine.

>

> Since September 11, the T-word has been tossed around by law

> enforcement and politicians with more and more ease. Grassroots

> environmental and animal activists, and even national organizations

> like Greenpeace, have been called " eco-terrorists " by the

> corporations and politicians they oppose. The arrests on Wednesday,

> though, mark the official opening of a new domestic front in the

War

> on Terrorism.

>

> Bush's War on Terrorism is no longer limited to Al Qaeda or Osama

Bin

> Laden. It's not limited to Afghanistan or Iraq (or Syria, or Iran,

or

> whichever country is next). And it's not limited to the animal

rights

> movement, or even the campaign against Huntington Life Sciences.

The

> rounding up of activists on Wednesday should set off alarms heard

by

> every social movement in the United States: This " war " is about

> protecting corporate and political interests under the guise of

> fighting terrorism.

>

> The activists arrested are part of a group called Stop Huntingdon

> Animal Cruelty, an international organization aimed solely at

closing

> the controversial lab. The group uses home demonstrations, phone and

> email blockades, and plenty of smart-ass, aggressive rhetoric to

> pressure companies to cut ties with the lab. It has worked. The lab

> has been brought near bankruptcy, after international corporations

> like Marsh Inc. have pulled out their investments.

>

> To most, this is effective--albeit controversial--organizing.

> According to the indictment, though, it's " terrorism " because the

> activists aim to cause " physical disruption to the functioning of

> HLS, an animal enterprise, and intentionally damage and cause the

> loss of property used by HLS. "

>

> That's like saying the Montgomery bus boycott, a catalyst of the

> civil rights movement, was terrorism because it aimed

> to " intentionally damage and cause the loss of property " of the bus

> company.

>

> It seems the biggest act of " terrorism " by the group is a website.

> Members of the group are outspoken supporters of illegal direct

> action like civil disobedience, rescuing animals from labs, and

> vandalism. Whenever actions-legal or not-take place against the

lab,

> the group puts it on the website. The activists are not accused of

> taking part in any of these crimes.

>

> Such news postings are so threatening, apparently, that the

> indictment doesn't even name the corporations that have been

> targeted. They are only identified by single letters, like " S.

Inc. "

> or " M. Corp. "

>

> " Because of the nature of the campaign against these companies, we

> didn't want to subject them further to the tactics of SHAC, " said

> Michael Drewniak, spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office in New

> jersey, in an interview.

>

> Some of the wealthiest corporations on the planet, and the U.S.

> Attorney's Office must protect them from a bunch of protesters.

This

> is what the War on Terrorism has become: The Bush administration

can't

> find real terrorists abroad, yet it spends law enforcement time and

> resources protecting corporations from political activists.

>

> The lawsuit is so outlandish that some activists, who asked that

they

> not be identified, said they don't think it is intended to win.

> Instead, they see it as an important political move in the War on

> Terror. In a hearing before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee

> just last week, a U.S. Attorney said the Animal Enterprise

Terrorism

> Act needed to go further to successfully be used against Stop

> Huntingdon Animal Cruelty. If this lawsuit fails, the Justice

> Department can say, " We told you so. "

>

> So, these activists face a double-edged sword. If they lose, they

go

> to prison, and are labeled " terrorists " for the rest of their

lives.

> If they win, it could be fodder for an even harsher political

> crackdown.

>

> Their only chance is for activists of all social movements--

> regardless of their political views--to support them, and oppose

the

> assault on basic civil liberties. Otherwise, in Bush's America, we

> could all be terrorists.

>

> Will Potter is a freelance reporter in Washington, D.C. He has

> written for the Chicago Tribune, Dallas Morning News, and Chronicle

> of Higher Education, and close followed the emergence of " domestic

> terrorism. "

>

> He can be reached at: william.potter@a...