There are other extremist groups who are also prepared to use violence extremism to get their message across to the public. Animal Rights groups have recently begun to use more and more extreme tactics to induce shock and condemnation over how some people abuse animal rights. However, some of the campaigns have had the opposite effect and has ended up repulsing the public so much so that many people on the street have withdrawn their support.

PETA

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) launched a new controversial campaign against KFC in 2006, after claiming that KFC suppliers use cruel methods in their breeding and slaughter of chickens. To promote a new website KentuckyFriedCruelty.co.uk, they released a circular with a picture of Colonel Sanders (the KFC mascot), holding a chicken by the legs in one hand and a kitchen knife pointing directly at it in the other.

The chicken appeared to be in distress and had many feathers missing, the knife dripped blood and the Colonel’s clothes were covered in blood spatters. The ad read: “KFC cruelty. The Colonel’s secret recipe includes: live scalding, painful debeaking, crippled chickens. Peta KentuckyFriedCruelty.co.uk.”

This followed on from similar campaigns against other fast food outlets such as MacDonald’s, Wendy’s and Burger King. However, there were a number of complaints due to the affect the disturbing picture would have on young children, and one was upheld.

Other campaigns against animal cruelty have seen PETA protest wearing fur coats covered in fake blood outside the offices of Vogue, a magazine whose editor, Anna Wintour advocates wearing animal fur. Fake blood was also smeared on the front of the office buildings and in previous incidents; extremists have sent Anna maggot infested animals’ insides and left blood at the door of her home.

Animal right extremists have in recent years, attacked laboratories, research centres and furriers. Over the last decade or so this tactic changed due to better security. This has lead the activists to attack ‘soft’ targets; companies that do business with the labs/ research centres or furriers in a bid to force them to end their cooperation. In the case of animal-testing lab Huntingdon Life Sciences, for instance, the international Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) campaign has targeted equipment suppliers, share market makers, insurers, auditors, banks and couriers. SHAC also made the news five years ago after 7 alleged members were involved in the theft of a body from its grave.
In 2004, the remains of an 82 year old woman were stolen after animal rights extremists desecrated her grave. Gladys Hammond, who died in 1997, whose son in law co-owned a farm in Staffordshire, which bred guinea pigs for medical research.

The family had been subjected to a long-running campaign by animal rights activists, suffering hate mail, malicious phone calls, hoax bombs, a paedophile smear campaign and arson attacks.

The remains were eventually recovered by police, a year and a half after they were stolen, and Gladys was reburied in 2006. Three of the animal rights extremists were jailed for 12 years each in 2006.

Animal Liberation Front

The Animal Liberation Front (ALF) was established in 1976 by Ronnie Lee, and its mission statement clearly advocates the use of violence in order to achieve its aims:
“Animal liberation is a fierce struggle that demands total commitment. There will be injuries and possibly deaths on both sides. That is sad but certain.”

Another of their statements has also advocated using violence in their campaign against Oxford University and the planned animal research laboratory “We must stand up, do whatever it takes and blow these f***ing monsters off the face of the planet. We must target professors, teachers, heads, students, investors, partners, supporters and anyone that dares to deal in any part of the university in any way. There is no time for debate and there is no time for protest, this is make-or-break time and from now on, anything goes”

Although poorly financed and lacking resources, Professor Paul Wilkinson, the terrorism expert, says these extremists gained bomb-making expertise over the years and are not afraid to use their knowledge. Following an attack on a fleet of refrigerated meat lorries in May 2000 - in which nine explosive devices were planted - a senior Thames Valley police officer feared an escalation in terror tactics.

“The risk is that someone is going to get seriously hurt as these groups use more powerful devices.”

Alongside arson and other attacks on shops, bookmakers, factories, dairies, farms and laboratories, extremists have harassed individuals.

Oxford academic Professor Colin Blakemore has endured more than many. The vision scientist, whose work includes experiments on cats, has received two letter bombs, one containing needles wrapped in explosives and opened by his children, been sent razor blades in the post, had his car damaged and the doors and windows of his home smashed. On “World Day for Laboratory Animals” in 1997, Mr Blakemore’s house was surrounded by 300 activists wearing balaclavas. When jailed animal rights arsonist Barry Horne went on hunger strike - demanding a Royal Commission on vivisection (the practice of operating on live animals for research) - Mr Blakemore’s name topped an Animals Rights Militia (ARM) hit list of targets who would be murdered should Barry Horne die.

The ALF, alongside other similar groups such as the ARM, have been criticised for their use and support of violence in order to support their ideology.

http://www.themarketingblog.co.uk/e_article001129887.cfm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/230995.stm
www.animalliberationfront.com
www.KentuckyFriedCruelty.co.uk
www.peta.org
http://www.voguesucks.com/
http://barryhorne.org/