SHAC May Raids Anniversary

One year since the raids... both SHAC and the ALF are still going strong!

True story, just like it did to the civil rights movement.

Your heard Antispe - JOIN THE RESISTANCE!!

Police winning the war? Nonsense say activists as direct action continues despite police arrests

Operation Achilles was touted as a huge success by NETCU officers involved in dawn raids against animal rights activists, the media was soon brought into line and reports spread of a massive police operation leading to over 30 arrests. The police have continued to gloat about their campaign and how they're beginning to turn the tide against the activists, many activists have now been charged with various crimes ranging from conspiracy to blackmail to theft.

The police believed that by criminalising legitimate protest using SOCPA laws they'd be able to control activists and allow the animal abusers at HLS and others to go on their merry way. Activists engaging in protest actions now more than ever are under increasing pressure and surveillance from authorities, with new fictitious charges drawn up every day. 5 years ago sending a letter, making a phone call, or holding a banner were innocent acts of compassion. Now using new legislation police are raiding homes of any one thought to be engaged with the SHAC, SPEAK or Sequani campaigns. Citing that phone calls, emails, letters, and demostrations count as intent to cause 'alarm, harassment, or distress' or that it is covered by 'conspiracy to interfere with a contractual relationship'.

Why the police insist upon harassing peaceful protesters is anyone's guess... power trips, dislike of individual activists, pressure from vivisection companies? Who knows. Although many activists are certainly aware of the now infamous case where police officers were recorded by their own surveillance equipment making threats against peaceful SPEAK campaigners.

What is certain however is that by targeting legitimate forms of protest the police and government have effectively radicalised an entire new generation of animal rights/liberation activists, unafraid to confront animal abuse head on in a direct manner. I use the word radicalise in that being radical or holding radical/revolutionary beliefs is not necessarily a bad thing, throughout history many famous figures and groups have been considered radicals... William Wilberforce and the abolitionists, Emily Davidson and the Suffragettes, Martin Luther King and the black civil rights movement. All of these individuals and groups were at some point classified as radicals, holding revolutionary beliefs that would shake the very foundations of the world that we live in. These movements were not always peaceful either, direct action was undertaken by all of these movements, most famously the underground railroad which sought to use direct and covert methods to liberate slaves. And yet despite being radicals, one would hardly class them as extremists despite what the media and police insist on calling liberation activists today.

The police and the vivisection companies themselves have created this enemy that they seek to destroy. By engaging in animal abuse, covering it up and hiding it away behind locked doors, and then attacking anyone who dares to speak up. The forces at work have created a radical movement, that simply evolves with each government crackdown and grows bolder day by day. Evidence for this plentiful for everyone to see. Many arrests and raids later the SHAC, SPEAK and Sequani campaigns are still going fuelled by new activists replacing those that are incarcerated for speaking out, the past 12 months have seen large demonstrations on the streets of Huntingdon, Lebury, Oxford, and Horsham. And direct action reports by animal liberationists continue to flood in, in the past 10 days there have been no less than nine reports of direct action by UK activists. Adding up to almost 1 act every single day, ranging from the liberations of lambs and chickens, to acts sabotage against known vivisectors and animal abusers. This trend is also seen world wide, where at least one action for animal liberation is committed somewhere in the world every single day of the year.

So it begs the question, are the police and vivisection companies winning the war as they'd like to boast? The answer is simple, no. They weren't winning in the past, they aren't winning in the present, and they certainly wont win in the future. Day by day worldwide activists are slowly grinding down the animal abuse industry, every action is a victory, and every victory is a statement.

The ALF operates in 38 countries all around the world, and with each passing year this number continues to increase. The animal abuse industry is being attacked on all fronts, it's just a matter of dedication, patience, and action until we finally win.

The media is dominated by those who eat meat, and funded by those who seek to maintain the status quo. Biased reporting against the movement is to be expected, just remember though each and everyone of you is capable of fighting. All of us must stand proud and uphold our beliefs, and we must act accordingly. The animals depend on us for they have no voice, we must utilise every method that is available to us to secure them the freedom they so rightly deserve.

"Adventure is better than caution" (Quote from the 3rd ALF movie)

Click here to watch:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pgw2-QxK9E

Gregg & Natasha Avery and Heather Nicholson were arrested and remanded into custody after 32 separate police raids, involving 700 police officers in the UK, The Netherlands and Belgium on May 1st 2007.

They have been charged with "conspiracy to blackmail" Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS)and are currently being remanded in prison until their trial (probably starting at Winchester Crown Court September 2008).

ADDITIONAL INFO:

14 other activists have been charged with "conspiracy to blackmail" and due to the number of defendents their will most likely be 3 seperate but connected trials one after each other. With the last trial (each trial may take as long as 6 months) probably not starting until April 2009 at the earliest. The 14 SHAC activists are currently on bail, with severe bail conditions preventing them doing any animal rights activities at all, or even leading a normal life and it appears that some of them will be on bail for years.

There is also going to be two other trials relating to the raids on May 1st 2007, one involving activists accused of allegedly liberating a dog from abuse (this was an animal rights action but not SHAC related, however the police are claiming it is) and one envolving the alleged theft of information from a employees place of work. Their are 20 defendents in total and one activists is facing two separate trials.

HLS is the worlds most exposed, brutal and vile animal testing lab, it helps no one and hurts many, please get involved if you possibly can. (please visit SHAC's website).

On the 21st July, Natasha had a release licence from a previous unrelated sentence for animal rights actions revoked, due to the new "conspiracy" charges against her. She is no longer classed as a remand prisoner and she is now serving out the time on her previous sentence. When the time left on her sentence finishes she will be put back on remand. This in practise just reduces her privileges and means if convicted she may not be able to use the time she has served not on remand to offset any sentence.

Gregg, Heather and Natasha have said on many occasions the best way of supporting them and the other defendents is to get out there, do demos, write letters, do what you can. There are campaigners fighting HLS all round the world so please if you can please get involved. (SHAC).

You can also write to them.

Gregg Avery (TA7450)
HMP Winchester
Romsey Road
Winchester
SO22 5DF
United Kingdom.

Natasha Avery (NR8987)
HMP Bronzefield
Woodthorpe Road
Ashford
Middx
TW15 3JZ
United Kingdom.

Heather Nicholson (VM4859)
HMP Bronzefield
Woodthorpe Road
Ashford
Middx
TW15 3JZ
United Kingdom.

You can email Heather and Natasha through  http://www.refusedbail.com, emails cost 30 pence (£0.30) each and are delivered directly to them.

Note: The emails are all read by prison authorities and there is no facility allowing Heather or Natasha to reply. It is however a good and relatively cheap way of showing your support, especially if your based overseas.