We’ve all heard the nonsense rhetoric from the activists — Animal Liberation Front is non-violent since burning down homes and research facilities doesn’t count as violence (in these folks’ ethical guide, a white racist burning down a black church is committing a nonviolent act of protest). But the North American Liberation Press Office issued a press release in December that contained a clear intent to physically harm — perhaps even kill — human beings.
The press release concerned a planned holiday party by Forest Laboratories to be held December 10, 2004. The press release noted that Animal Defense League – Long Island planned a protest outside the Hunting Towne House, where the holiday party was to be held.
The press release also republished what it claimed was a communique from the Animal Liberation Front that said (emphasis added),
Cancel the 12/10 Forest Labs party or syrup of ipecac and diarrhea inducing agents will appear in your catering provisions beginning Friday afternoon. We will target all town house events this weekend. All additives will be non-lethal and the symptoms non-permanent, however: will be very disruptive to town house functions. Cancel the Forest Labs party. *The A.L.F.*
Non-permanent? Spiking food with ipecac in this way could be potentially fatal.
Ipecac syrup used to be widely recommended in cases of accidental poisoning, especially among children, because it can induce vomiting. In 2003, the American Academy of Pediatrics reverse that recommendation, after studies showed ipecac was simply not effective and had a number of potential problems (mainly that it is sometimes abused by people with eating disorders).
Spiking food with ipecac would be extremely dangerous, because it would be impossible to control how much ipecac any given person was exposed to. Exposure to large doses of ipecac can cause respiratory difficulties, fast or irregular heartbeat, seizures and pneumonia. If, for some reason, the ipecac is not vomited, it can cause heart problems, permanent heart damage and even death.
There’s a reason ipecac is clearly labeled that it is not to be administered without first consulting a poison control center, emergency room or physician.
There is simply nothing you can spike food with that is not potentially hazardous and even deadly to some subpopulation of people. Apparently the possibility that someone might be seriously injured or even killed in such a stunt is simply not as important as the animals to the ALF or the North American Animal Liberation Press Office.
Non-violent my ass.
Source:
Animal Testing Firm to be Targeted on Long Island; Animal Liberation Front Issues Threat to Partygoers. Press Release, North American Animal Liberation Press Office, December 8, 2004.