Gay ALF Activist Roger Troen Dies at 77

Even among fervent animal-rights activists, Roger Troen stood out. He'd be the one costumed as a demented butcher with fake blood and cleaver performing guerrilla theater during an anti-fur protest, or as Colonel Sanders outside KFC protesting factory farming, or chalking the ground outside OHSU's primate center.

About 30 years ago, Roger got the call to his life's purpose -- animal rights -- and his righteous battle became a nearly full-time focus. At any given time, Roger had either just come from a march or meeting, or from gathering signatures for a shelter reform initiative, or had just written a letter to the editor, or photocopied news releases or his newsletter.

But if he got a call to rescue an animal from death row at the Multnomah County animal shelter in Troutdale, he dropped everything.

When Roger got on his soapbox his was a loud, blunt voice, and often a lonely one. Behind the scenes, he did many of the most menial tasks and he got almost no positive strokes. He was sometimes kicked out of gatherings. Talk shows stopped accepting his calls.

Not everybody knew that the silver-haired man with the steel-blue eyes and the missionary zeal had been convicted for his role in a 1986 Animal Liberation Front raid on an animal lab at the University of Oregon.

Source:  http://news.infoshop.org/article.php?story=20080511223125712

The University of Oregon, Breeding Facility saw 264 animals (12 hamsters, 28 cats, 24 rabbits, 100 rats and pigeons) rescued October 26, 1986. $120,000 worth of damage was inflicted on the laboratory.

Source:  http://www.animalliberationfront.com/ALFront/Actions-USA/alfusa.htm