Saturday, January 17, 2009

In Solidarity with SHAC 7 UK - Day 1

WAR Launches 3 Day Weekend of Action with Baker Protest

On Monday, January 19, 2009 seven British activists are scheduled to begin sentencing hearings. Win Animal Rights dedicates this weekend of action to those activists who have temporarily been forcibly removed from the campaign to stop the killing at Huntingdon Life Sciences. We honor and respect you and stand with you in solidarity.

Demo #1: Andrew Baker - Chairman & CEO of Huntingdon Life Sciences

The man who is most directly involved with and accountable for the atrocities that occur at Huntingdon Life Sciences is Andrew baker. Baker acts as CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Huntingdon Life Sciences. He is also their largest personal investor holding approximately 25% of LSR’s shares. Conveniently, Baker resides on Central Park West & W. 88th Street in New York City in a multi-million dollar condo overlooking Central Park.

Eighteen activists gathered on Saturday in sub-freezing temperature to give voice to the suffering of the 70,000 animals imprisoned at Huntingdon Life Sciences. The weather was brutal. Temperatures in the single digits made this the coldest day of this winter season. Ever mindful of the suffering of the animals at HLS, the dauntless activists held the line despite the frigid weather conditions.

Voices rang strong and true and echoed up Central Park West. The chanting could be heard from many blocks away. “For the animals we will fight, how does Baker sleep at night?”….and “Vivisection, Lies and Death….Free the Animals A.L.F” were heard from one end of the street to the next. Literature was distributed in an effort to educate Andrew Baker’s neighbors.

A large banner proclaiming Andrew Baker: Puppy Killer was pinned to the stone wall that surrounds Central Park. A second large banner clearly showing the bloody mutilated remains of a beagle puppy was held by activists for all to see. Also, protesters carried a new series of posters with large pictures of Andrew Baker coupled with pictures of animals brutalized and killed by Huntingdon Life Sciences. These were quite the attention-getter. Another poster featured a picture of the HLS laboratory in East Millstone, New Jersey along with the words: “Death Camp for Innocent Animals”.

A New York Times news crew was in attendance and interviewed both activists and people from Baker’s building. Activists found it interesting that the doormen at Baker’s building did not even attempt to pass off the lie that Baker no longer resided in the building. Hopefully, that will put that unsubstantiated rumor to rest.

Protests will continue at this location until the bloodshed at Huntingdon Life Sciences is stopped. Activists have vowed to spend less time at Baker’s personal residence as they have accepted the fact that no amount of shaming Andrew Baker will influence his blood lust and greed. Campaign efforts will instead be increased at the homes of HLS customers and investors.

Demo #2: Dennis Basso – NYC Fur Scum

A short walk to 82nd Street and Central Park West brought us to the home of Dennis Basso, the most notorious furrier in New York City. As usual, passersby (many of which were leaving from the nearby popular American Museum of Natural History) were enthusiastic and open in their support of the compassionate activism of the protesters. One gentleman was so moved by the graphic and bloody images of animals, who had been killed and skinned for their fur, that he picked up a sign and joined the protest. Our newest supporter even led some of the chanting!

Despite the overwhelming support of the neighbors, there always has to be one irate individual who believes that protests are only acceptable when they are neither seen nor heard by the audience. Her first claim was that there was a sick individual in her apartment that was being disturbed by the protest. When it was suggested that she move the individual to a quieter place in the apartment, she left in a huff. When she returned, she screamed at protesters that they should not be allowed to protest on the streets of New York City. Finally her true agenda came out. She believed that protest and freedom of expression should be illegal.

As the temperatures plummeted and the wind chill made being out there almost unbearable, activists dug in resolutely and never once lessened the level of their advocacy. “Stop the Insanity, No Blood for Vanity”….they chanted and “No more cages, No more traps…No more fur on Basso’s racks”. Someone told the New York Times reporter that Basso no longer lived in the building. Meanwhile, building residents exposed this as a lie, as they told us what his regular schedule is and when the best time to catch him at home would be.

Posters displayed the gruesome remains of animals killed for fur. One sign proclaimed “Killed for Greed and Vanity” with a picture of a beautiful lynx desperately caught in a leghold trap….another showed the skinned carcass of a fox with a full face profile and said …”The Real Face of Fur”. These are the images that fire the passion and fuel the determination of the activists. All of this pain and suffering is so unnecessary. These animals are victims of fashion and commerce.

After protesting at the entrance to Basso’s building for an hour, the protest was moved around the corner to Basso’s private entrance on 82nd Street (Apartment 1 G), where the protest continued. “We will never back down, until you stop the killing, Dennis Basso”……the protest concluded with WAR’s trademark chant…..”We’ll be back”.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday, January 18, 2009

In Solidarity with SHAC 7 UK - Day 2

Protests Against Huntingdon Life Sciences Investors Continue

Fur Scum Dennis Basso and MaxMara Visited Again

Demo #1: MaxMara

Thankful for warmer temperatures (if you call 27 degrees warmer), Win Animal Rights returned to the streets to raise a ruckus on behalf of the thousands of animals trapped inside Huntingdon Life Sciences as well as the millions waiting to be skinned alive on fur farms throughout the world. Activists arrived outside the doors of Max Mara, wanting to say hello after a brief protesting hiatus. As always, the chants reached far and wide, "Hey Max Mara, what do you say?! How'd you torture your fur today?!" "Gassing, trapping, anal electrocution!"

One idiot decided to ruin the fun, expressing his opinion that fur was fantastic. Naturally he was walking two dogs as he was offering his ridiculous comments. It is a shame that so many people out there see no problem with the atrocities committed in the name of fashion, especially those with companion animals. It makes one wonder how caring these people are with their animals, if they can so callously walk by images of horrible cruelty.

Demo #2: Dennis Basso Fur Salon

After Max Mara, the protesters walked down Madison Avenue to see their good friends at Dennis Basso's fur salon. As with recent encounters, the Basso goons were more reserved than in months past. They must no longer be in the good graces of the police. The activists, however, received an unfriendly greeting from other residents in the area. This frontrunner for the douchebag of the year award starting throwing snowballs at the activists from a balcony across the street.

He had the audacity to do so in front of the police, and even continued after being threatened with arrest. Like so many times before, however, the authorities decided not to pursue the aggressor. While it's very disappointing, it's going to take a lot more than snow to scare off these dedicated activists.

Demo #3: James O’Connor, Portfolio Manager – Bank of New York Mellon

Demo #4: Matthew Biben, Executive – Bank of New York Mellon

Following the fur protests, the activists changed course and marched over to the homes of two Bank of New York Mellon employees, Mr. James O'Conner and Mr. Matthew Biben. It turned out that both men lived in buildings right next to each other. Mr. O'Conner, a Portfolio Manager, and his neighbor, Matthew Biben, a high level executive, both needed to be informed that people will not tolerate their financial support for the primate killers at Huntingdon Life Sciences.

The trend of conscientious doormen continued when doormen from Biben's residence and the adjacent building walked over to speak to the protesters. Both were very sympathetic. The man from Mr. Biben's building took a bunch of flyers to alert other residents. He felt confident that Mr. Biben would convince his company to divest as soon as he realizes his part in the abuse. Cross your fingers!

Literature was distributed to many who passed by. Some took the flyer and walked on, while others stopped to chat and ask questions of the activists. Many declared that they would reach out to their neighbor to help influence them to take a compassionate position and cut Bank of New York Mellon’s ties with Huntingdon Life Sciences.

Demo #5: William Jordan, Banker - Well Fargo

The afternoon concluded outside the home of Mr. William Jordan, at Wells Fargo, also one of the top five institutional investors of Huntingdon Life Sciences. He certainly must have been surprised when he heard through his window, "500 animals died, today, William Jordan is to blame!" The demonstrators sent Mr. Jordan a brief but important message. "If you want to get some rest, cut your ties with HLS!"

Finally, with snow falling softly around the protesters, the last chants were heard…..”We’ll be back, Wells Fargo!”.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday, January 19, 2009

In Solidarity with SHAC 7 UK - Day 3

Pressure Mounting on Bank of New York Mellon and Barclays Global Investors

Demo #1: Robert Kelly - Chairman & CEO - Bank of New York Mellon

In a gesture of solidarity for the those activists wrongly imprisoned in the United Kingdom, Win Animal Rights returned to the streets for the third straight day to bring a voice to the voiceless. Gregg Avery, Gavin Medd-Hall, Dan Amos, Natasha Avery, Heather Nicholson, Dan Wadham and Gerrah Selby, courageous individuals that did nothing but run a successful campaign against the animal abusing scumbags at Huntingdon Life Sciences. Their convictions, along with other political prisoners wrongfully imprisoned for their beliefs, are a testament to the greed and corruption that has infected our society. It is a shameful world we live in when those with the most compassion are considered to be the most extreme.

The gentle snowfall provided a nice backdrop outside the luxury townhouse of Mr. Robert Kelly. As Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bank of New York Mellon, Mr. Kelly is directly responsible for the atrocities committed against the defenseless animals inside the wretched abyss that is Huntingdon Life Sciences.

The voices of activists shouted out in unison…..”500 animals died today, Robert Kelly is to blame” and individuals activists spoke about the injustice being perpetrated in the UK, just as it has in the USA with the imprisonment of the SHAC 7. “Your neighbor Robert Kelly and his company Bank of New York Mellon are a major shareholder in Huntingdon Life Sciences. Until those shares are divested, protests will continue at both your home and offices. Do the right thing, Bank of New York Mellon. Sell your shares.”

As with the previous Kelly demonstration, many neighbors and pedestrians stopped to find out what all the commotion was about. Since Mr. Kelly's blood soaked stocks are so vital to keep HLS open, activists vowed to return again and again until he sells his shares. Relinquish your ties to Andrew Baker's house of pain!

Demo #2: Franklin Robinson - Barclays Global Investors - Hedge Fund Manager

After taking a little break, the protesters arrived at the home of Franklin Robinson, Hedge Fund Manager at Barclays Global. Shortly after the demonstration began, a woman from across the street stopped to ask the protesters to cease chanting. Because she was going through some emotional problems, she wanted a little peace and quiet. Although she was informed that the demonstration would only last another fifteen minutes, she became belligerent and yanked a sign from one of the activist's hands.

When her husband arrived on the scene, he too threatened the activists with bodily harm. Hmm, some people should just not breed. Sorry to disturb your evening for twenty minutes, but you guys have got it pretty good compared to the countless creatures being burned, poisoned, cut up, and mutilated for industrial chemicals and sugar substitutes. As long as animals suffer and die inside Huntingdon Life Sciences, Win Animal Rights will be out on the streets. Shut them down!"

SHAC 7 UK - WAR SALUTES YOU!

Video Clips:

Robert Kelly - Bank of New York Mellon #1
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-_r03T1mec

Robert Kelly - Bank of New York Mellon #2
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xjiJ8EaTjk