Talk:Animal Liberation Front

Edit query

• There is also a statement on the ALF website here that "In over 20 years, and thousands of actions, nobody has ever been injured or killed in an ALF action."

Yet the SW page states "However, ALF has no (physical) violent agendas and historically; no serious incidents constituting bodily harm. Anyone engaged in non-violent rescue or interfering in a business or institution which tortures animals may call them selves ALF. ALF has always maintained a strict policy of (physical) non-violent action towards both animals and humans. On the very rare occasions when harm has occurred, the mainstream AR groups have condemned the acts."

There are two problems with this:

• advocating property damage by covert action is not consistent with a strict policy of non-violence which emphasizes overt protests which don't damage property and where the individual is open about what they are doing and prepared to face the consequences of breaking the law;

• if there have been instances where people have been injured when and where were they? Doesn't this mean that the ALF claim that there have no injuries caused is wrong?

• "On the very rare occasions when harm has occurred, the mainstream AR groups have condemned the acts." -- what about the ALF?--Bob Burton 02:29, 2 October 2009 (EDT)

Response

The exact wording was "ALF action". Even so, there have been no serious incidents of bodily injury or death associated with the animal rights, liberation or "direct action" movement, documented by the press or organizations like the SPLC. There is also the rare, but not unimportant matter of government and corporate provocateurs. This reveals a certain desperation to portray the movement as violent, which would not be necessary if it were. AETA and the New Green Scare: Are You the Terrorist Next Door? According to the above statement,

"advocating property damage by covert action is not consistent with a strict policy of non-violence which emphasizes overt protests which don't damage property and where the individual is open about what they are doing and prepared to face the consequences of breaking the law."

"Strict policy" according to whom? AR organizations don't spend a lot of time criticizing ALF. They have their plates full with a hostile system attempting to block even minor reforms, let alone "animal liberation". For this and other reasons, ALF tends to get sympathy. Like any organization (or non-organization), they have supporters and those who disagree. AR "members" may belong to several organizations, donate time and money, etc. They are not subject to "strict policies". Statements may also confuse legality with morality. In a system which perpetuates and rationalizes large scale, systematic animal abuse (which also affects human health and welfare), law abiding behavior is not necessarily synonymous with non-violence. While it is correct that the handful of individuals engaged in direct action do not turn themselves in, they do take some risks and are not financially compensated. Likewise, it would be counterproductive for them to do so as they would be unable to continue direct action.

ALF does not claim responsibility for the entire scope of direct action. Perhaps it is just logical to assume that a group/philosophy which disavows physical violence, would not condone it generally. Mainly, the focus is on property damage, exposure and rescues. According to the "ALF Credo" the guidelines are to:

1. TO liberate animals from places of abuse, i.e. laboratories, factory farms, fur farms, etc, and place them in good homes where they may live out their natural lives, free from suffering.

2. TO inflict economic damage to those who profit from the misery and exploitation of animals.

3. TO reveal the horror and atrocities committed against animals behind locked doors, by performing non-violent direct actions and liberations.

4. TO take all necessary precautions against harming any animal, human and non-human.

5. To analyze the ramifications of all proposed actions, and never apply generalizations when specific information is available. AlF Credo & Guidelines

Lisa 10/3