Tag: Chiron Corp.

More Andrea Lindsay on Animal Rights Extremism

Previously I mentioned statements that Andrea Lindsay made to KGO-TV about the bombing of Chiron Corp., apparently identifying herself as a SHAC spokesperson. KRON 4 also ran a story featuring additional comments by Lindsay justifying that and other animal rights extremist activities.

KRON identifies Lindsay as being part of the Animal Rights Direct Action Coalition and quotes her as saying of the Chiron bombing,

Tentatively, I would say yes [it was justified], it caused economic damage and no people were hurt and it did cause damage to Chiron, which is fantastic.

KRON also asked Lindsay what she though of activist harassment of Laurent Manrique. Manrique’s restaurant/shop, which served foie gras, was severely vandalized in an action that also damaged surrounding shops. The most disturbing aspect of the actions against Manrique, however, were activists who stationed themselves outside his home and videotaped him and his family going about their routine and then mailed the videotape to Manrique with a letter notifying the family they were being watched. As Manrique put it, “I freaked out and my wife started to panic.”

For Lindsay, however, this is all in a day’s work for the committed activist,

The things happening to the foie gras chefs I certainly support. I think that they don’t have any right to go home and feel comfortable while they’re inflicting suffering on innumerable animals.

Ah that trademarked animal rights compassion at work again.

Source:

Is radical activism effective? KRON, August 28, 2003.

Friends of Animals Condemns Chiron Bombing

While many animal rights activists and groups were cheering the bombs set off at Chiron Corp. in August, Friends of Animals did quickly issue a press release condemning both that bombing specifically and extremist actions in general.

Friends of Animals’ said,

On Saturday the 30th of August, an obscure group called the Revolutionary Cells claimed responsibility for the two small explosive devices that went off early Thursday morning at the Chiron Corp. buildings in Emeryville, reportedly in protest against the firms’ relationship with animal research group Huntingdon Life Sciences. The blasts did not injure anyone, but a handful of Chiron employees were reportedly in the building.

“Vandalism, arson, explosives, and threats have no place in a movement for animal rights,” said Priscilla Feral, president of Friends of Animals.

“Such irresponsible acts are unacceptable in any movement for the betterment of society, and we categorically denounce them.”

. . .

“Clearly there is a tremendous social value in informing the public about the detriments of cross-species transplantation and other biotech research using animals, and in bringing the urgent and multi-layered ethical problems into the open,” said Priscilla Feral. “But this can only be done by education. It cannot be done through acts of intimidation or the endangerment of works.”

Unfortunately Friends of Animals was apparently in the minority of animal rights opinion about the Chiron bombing (it was the only group, to my knowledge, that bothered to issue a condemnation of the attack).

Source:

Friends of Animals condemns Friday’s pipe bomb attack in the city of Emeryville, California. Friends of Animals, August 2003.

Terrorists Explode Bombs at Major California Biotech Company

In the early morning hours of August 28, two bombs placed by animal rights extremists exploded at the headquarters of Chiron Corp., a biotechnology company, in Emeryville, California. A third device consisting of a five-gallon plastic jug of gasoline was discovered unexploded and was safely detonated by the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department.

The bombs were detonated just days after Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty had named Chiron its target of the week. Chiron spokespersons said the company has no current contracts with HLS, but has used the testing firm in the past and will use them again in the future.

A group calling itself the Animal Liberation Brigade took credit for the bombings, issuing a communique through the extremist web site Bite Back!,

In the early hours of August 28th volunteers from the Revolutionary Cells descended on the animal killing scum Chiron. We left them with a small surprise of 2 pipe bombs filled with an ammonium nitrate slurry with redundant timers. This action came about because Chiron has continued their murderous connection with Huntingdon Life Sciences even though they have been exposed numerous times as some of the most egregious animal killers in the industry.

Chiron, you were asked to sever your ties with HLS, you were told, and yet you continued your relations with them. Now it is time for you face the consequences of your actions. If you choose to continue your relations with HLS you will no longer be subject only to the actions of the above ground animal rights movement, you will face us. This is the endgame for the animal killers and if you choose to stand with them you will be dealt with accordingly. There will be no quarter given, no more half measures taken.

You might be able to protect your buildings, but can you protect the homes of every employee?

From palestine to euskal herria, from the jungles of colombia to northern ireland, the struggle will continue until all of the oppressive institutions are destroyed!

for animal liberation through armed struggle, the Revolutionary Cells

–animal liberation brigade

SHAC spokespersons the media that it was not involved in the explosions but that this was the sort of action that SHAC supported. SHAC’s Andrea Lindsay told KGO-TV in San Francisco of the need to constantly pressure employees of firms like Chiron,

At 5:00 p.m., those people think they get to check out and go home and forget about what their company is doing to animals and we want to remind them that those animals are sitting in cages overnight. The animals don’t get to check out at 5:00 p.m. and neither do they. Until their company stops supporting this cruelty, they’re going to be a focus of this campaign 24-7.

Sources:

Was Emeryville Biotech Company Targeted?. KGO-TV, August 28, 2003.

Animal rights activists suspected in Chiron blasts. Reuters, August 29, 2003.

Animal rights group takes credit for Chiron bombs. KTVU.Com, August 29, 2003.

Harassment of Chiron Employees

The Contra Costa Times ran an article in late August profiling the harassment that employees of Chiron Corp. have faced over the past few months as Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty has focused on that company which contracts with Huntingdon Life Sciences for animal testing.

According to the Contra Costa Times,

Protesters have left fake tombstones on executives’ lawns and awakened employees and their families at 3 a.m., police said. No permanent damage has been inflicted, but some employees have changed their phone number and called police several times.

SHAC claims that such actions are not part of its campaign against Chiron, but of course SHAC’s web site lists the names and addresses of numerous Chiron employees along with messages referring to them as “sick animal-killing sum” and “Until you do [sever ties with HLS], we will be watching you. We will invite ourselves over to your homes and into your private lives.”

And SHAC spokeswoman Danielle Matthews says that the group supports and encourages such acts, up to and including arson and other illegal acts. Matthews told the Contra Costa Times,

We support any action that aids the closure of Huntingdon. You are actually protesting the company by protesting the executives.

Source:

Protests target firm’s execs. Matt Krupnick, Contra Costa Times, August 23, 2003.