The North American Animal Liberation Press Office

2012 Animal Liberation Media Coverage
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Cause of $12 Million Fire at Horse Research Laboratory at Colorado Satte University in July 2011 "Undetermined"	January 20, 2012
*Animal Liberation Frontline*: As reported on Animal Liberation Frontline over the summer , a mysterious fire broke out overnight on July 26th at one of the country's premier horse genetics labs in Colorado, completely destroying the facility. The “Equine Reproduction Laboratory” at Colorado State University did research to benefit the horse racing and horse breeding industries. While investigators usually release the cause of the fire within days, there was no word on a cause of the CSU fire for six months. Finally, this month investigators announced the cause of the fire has been ruled “undetermined”. There is no indication of an animal liberation motive behind the fire. However the fire broke out overnight, and the significance of the lab would make it a strategic target. more...
Liberated Rabbits Returned to Portland Butchery; One Remains Free	January 15, 2012
*Animal Liberation Frontline:* In a strange development, a rabbit rescue is forced to return 17 rabbits liberated from a Portland butchery school. Overnight on January 8th, news broke on the " Portland Meat Collective" website that somewhere between 18 and 23 rabbits had disappeared from the backyard of one of their "instructors" the day before they were to be killed as part of a "how to" self-butchery class. Nearly a week passed without any further news or claim of responsibility. Then, in a tragic development Friday, January 13th, news came that the rabbits had been located and returned to the school to be killed. The only good news to come from this development is that one of the rabbits has not been returned to the school. The person the rabbit was re-homed to is, so far, refusing to return the rabbit. In either a public-relations move, or just something akin to a serial killer taunting and humiliating a kidnapped victim before death, the Portland Meat Collective has named the rabbit "Roger". more...
Animal Liberation Activists Burn 12 Meat Trucks at Harris Ranch in Coalinga, California	January 09, 2012
*Associated Press:* Investigators say arson is suspected in a blaze that destroyed 14 big-rig tractors and several trailers at California's Harris Farms cattle operation, the state's largest cattle feeder, beef processor and beef marketer. Fresno County sheriff's investigators say the trucks in a storage yard were burning when firefighters and deputies arrived at the Coalinga property early Sunday at Interstate 5 and State Route 145. more... *Los Angeles Times:* Animal rights activists are taking credit for setting fire to a fleet of cattle trucks at a Central Valley ranch that is the state's largest processor of beef. A statement from the purported arsonists said the fire, which destroyed or damaged 14 tractors and several trailers at Harris Ranch, was aimed at the "the horrors of factory farming," The Fresno Bee reported. The statement was released by the Animal Liberation Press Office, which spokeswoman Nicoal R. Sheen said does not participate in illegal actions but distributes statements and communiques from those who do. The statement, the Bee reported, said that those who set the fire “were extremely pleased to see that all 14 trucks 'were a total loss.'" more... *KSEE TV:* KSEE24 News received an anonymous e-mail claiming responsibility for it. It reads, "Despite guards, a constant worker presence and razor wire fence, the enemy is still vulnerable." The e-mail was also sent to the Animal Liberation Press Office, an animal rights group. Spokesperson Nicole Sheen explained why she believes Harris Ranch was targeted, "These individuals believe these cows have a right to live a life, free of exploitation, not used for the industry's selfish purposes." Sheen, with the Animal Liberation Press Office said this might be just the beginning, "They know it won't shut the industry down but it's a warning to the industry that there will possibly be more actions because the communique was left open ended." more... *San Francisco Chronicle:* Animal-rights activists are taking responsibility for an arson fire that destroyed 14 cattle trucks at the sprawling Harris Ranch in the San Joaquin Valley off Interstate 5. In an e-mail sent to the media Monday, the North American Animal Liberation Press Office said it had received an anonymous message from someone with specific details about the fire at the Coalinga ranch, one of the largest farming operations in the San Joaquin Valley. "Containers of accelerant were placed beneath a row of 14 trucks with four digital timers used to light four of the containers and kerosene soaked rope carrying the fire to the other 10," the e-mail said. "We're not delusional enough to believe that this action will shut down the Harris feeding company, let alone have any effect on factory farming as a whole," the e-mail said. "But we maintain that this type of action still has worth, if not solely for the participant's peace of mind, then to show that despite guards, a constant worker presence and razor wire fence, the enemy is still vulnerable." The e-mail ended with, "Until next time." more... *KMPH Fox News:* Self-proclaimed arsonists say they set fire to the largest cattle lot on the West Coast. They sent an anonymous letter to the North American Animal Liberation Press Office claiming responsibility for the Harris Ranch fire. "It was just an anonymous group of people who did not say they were acting on behalf of a particular group," Will Hazlitt with the North American Animal Liberation Press Office, said. But whoever they are they know a lot and are releasing more details than investigators are right now. "What you're trying to do is create economic hardship for the ranch and the people that own the ranch so they know there are people out there who care about these animals and how they live," Hazlitt said. more... *CBS News:* Animal rights activists have claimed responsibility for a fire that engulfed 14 tractors and damaged several trailer rigs parked at California's biggest beef processor. No people or animals were reported hurt during the blaze, which began before dawn on Sunday at the Harris Ranch feedlot, in Coalinga, California. The San Francisco Chronicle reports 14 trucks were fully engulfed in flames and firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze within 45 minutes. In an email released to the public on Monday, the North American Animal Liberation press office announced that an anonymous animal rights group was responsible for the fires. "We weren't sure how well this was going to work, so we waited until there was[sic] news reports before writing this," the statement said. "We were extremely pleased to see that all 14 trucks 'were a total loss' with some being 'completely melted to the ground.'" more... *The Fresno Bee:* Animal rights activists are behind the burning of cattle trucks at Harris Farms in western Fresno County early Sunday, according to a statement released by a clearinghouse for activists. The statement purports to describe how the fire, which heavily damaged 14 tractors and several cattle-hauling trailers, was set and says the attack was aimed at "the horrors of factory farming." more... *Fox News:* Animal rights activists are taking credit for setting fire to and destroying 14 cattle trucks at California's largest beef producing, feeding and marketing ranches. The North American Animal Liberation press office posted an anonymous letter on its website from activists claiming full responsibility for the arson. “We're not delusional enough to believe that this action will shut down the [H]arris feeding company, let alone have any effect on factory farming as a whole. [B]ut we maintain that this type of action still has worth,” the statement reads. more... *Agriculture Proud:* A group of California activists are laying claim to the destruction of 14 cattle haulers at the Harris Ranch property in the California San Joaquin Valley. The Harris Ranch is a family owned, gate to plate company, that prides itself with more than 40 years in food production. Be sure to take this virtual tour from Harris Ranch to learn more about where their cattle come from and how their family operation brings beef to your table. more... *Sacramento Bee:* A federal courthouse in Boston and a ranch in California's San Joaquin Valley present competing faces of the animal rights movement. One side is peaceful. The other, decidedly, is not. Both can feel the weight of the law and the sting of being called a terrorist. At the giant Harris Ranch, in western Fresno County, investigators are trying to solve the Jan. 8 arson that damaged 14 tractors and several cattle-hauling trailers. Anonymous animal-rights activists claimed responsibility for the fire. more... *Agri-View:* Words turned into action Jan. 8 as an estimated 14 trucks and cattle-transporting trailers were intentionally set on fire at the largest feed yard in California. An animal rights extremist group quickly took credit for the arson attack in the San Joaquin Valley. Though the cause of the fire was still under investigation at the time of publication, an anonymous statement released by spokeswoman Nicoal Sheen of the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) Press Office said the attack was aimed at "the horrors of factory farming." Sheen later said that the office distributes releases from people involved in illegal actions but that the office was not directly involved in the attack. more... *Capital Press:* The Associated Press and several other media outlets last week reported that 14 big-rig tractors and several trailers at California's Harris Farms Fresno County cattle operation were destroyed by fire. The North American Animal Liberation Press Office, an entity that passes along press communications it receives anonymously from the Animal Liberation Front and other groups and individuals in the so-called animal liberation movement, released a detailed communiqué from individuals taking responsibility for the fires. No big deal, according to the press office. "Violence against property .... is viewed by many as justifiable in light of the atrocities being committed against innocent animals," it stated. Inflicting economic damage on businesses or individuals in an attempt to stop what members of the movement consider abuse is not morally wrong, it stated. more... *Homeland Security News Wire:* Earlier this month fourteen cattle-transportation trailers were set on fire at California's largest feed yard by an animal rights group. Immediately following the attack the Animal Liberation Front ( ALF ) released a statement that indicated an anonymous group of activists had executed the attack against the “horrors of factory farming” as perpetrated by Harris Ranch. Nicoal Sheen, a spokeswoman for ALF , said the group distributed the release on behalf of the individuals involved in the attack, but had no direct involvement. more...
Justin Solondz Pleads Guilty to 2001 Seattle Arson; Sentencing March 16	December 21, 2011
*Associated Press:* A man accused of helping burn down the University of Washington 's Center for Urban Horticulture pleaded guilty Tuesday to arson and conspiracy charges. Justin Solondz faces a seven-year prison term as part of a deal with prosecutors when he is sentenced March 16. Prosecutors say Solondz built the firebombs that started the blaze in 2001 in Seattle. Solondz was arrested in Chicago last summer following his expulsion from China, where he had been serving a prison sentence on drug charges. The fire, which resulted in $6 million of damage, was part of a string of 17 arsons across the West by radical environmental groups, the Earth Liberation Front and the Animal Liberation Front. Fourteen other people have been convicted of crimes related to the fires. more...
Fur Breeders Agriculture Co-Op Burns (Again); Likley Accidental Fire Destroys Supplier of Fur Farms in Utah	December 19, 2011
*Deseret News:* A blowtorch being used to thaw a frozen pipe may have started a two-alarm fire that caused significant damage at a feed plant Monday. The fire at Fur Breeders Agriculture Co-op, 8550 S. 700 West, started just before noon. The blaze sent a large plume of black smoke into the air that could be seen across the valley. The plant makes feed for minks, officials said. The building belonged to the same company that was the target of a pipe bombing by animal rights activists in 1997. Six members of the Animal Liberation Front were charged for igniting six pipe bombs at the Fur Breeders Co-op, but at a different building, 8720 S. 700 West. At least two were sentenced to federal prison. more... *Associated Press:* A fire at a Utah animal feed plant has knocked out power to more than 1,100 customers and forced authorities to evacuate some nearby workers and residents.Crews responded to the blaze Monday morning at Fur Breeders Agricultural Cooperative in Sandy, south of Salt Lake City. The same cooperative was the target of a pipe bombing by Animal Liberation Front activists in 1997, though at a different building. Authorities do not believe Monday's fire was arson. more... *Salt Lake Tribune:* Fire investigators have dismissed arson and suspect an accidental cause for a two-alarm blaze that heavily damaged the Fur Breeders Agricultural Cooperative complex in Sandy on Monday. The same business, though a different building, had been targeted in a 1997 pipe bombing blamed on the Animal Liberation Front. "We have pretty much ruled this as accidental at this time," Sandy Fire Deputy Chief Bruce Cline said Tuesday. "We have confirmed there was a gentleman in the roofing area with [a blow torch] thawing a refrigeration line and something at that point apparently caught fire. That's our preliminary finding right now." Fur Breeders Agricultural Cooperative is a processing plant that makes feed for animals, including mink. There are no animals on site. more...