February 21, 2008

Judge Issues Restraining Order Against Animal-Rights Extremists

A judge in Santa Monica, Calif., issued a temporary restraining order on Thursday against five people and three underground animal-rights organizations, prohibiting them from harassing researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles.

The ruling came after the University of California’s Board of Regents filed a complaint in a state court on Thursday, seeking protection for UCLA animal researchers, who have been the target of three firebomb attacks and numerous other forms of harassment in the past two years, according to a statement issued by the university. The suit was filed against the UCLA Primate Freedom Project (which is not affiliated with the university), the Animal Liberation Front, the Animal Liberation Brigade, and Linda Faith Greene, Hillary Roney, Kevin Olliff, Ramin Saber, and Tim Rusmisel.

According to the complaint, those individuals have harassed and threatened UCLA researchers. Among other examples, it states that three of the defendants repeatedly said “We know where you sleep at night” during a protest. It also states that after a firebombing at a researcher’s home, one of the defendants and other protesters issued threats through bullhorns, telling the crowd to “burn that f***er to the ground.”

In the temporary restraining order, Judge Gerald Rosenberg of the California Superior Court barred the defendants from harassing UCLA researchers and from coming within 50 feet of them during a demonstration. The ruling also ordered that personal information about the researchers be taken down from the defendants’ Web sites, according to the university. As of Thursday night, the Web site for the UCLA Primate Freedom Project still listed the home address of Edythe D. London, a professor of psychiatry and of molecular and medical pharmacology, whose house was hit by an incendiary device on February 5.

In an article in The Chronicle on Thursday in advance of the suit, UCLA’s chancellor, Gene Block, said that the legal action “sends a message that the university is serious about assaults on its investigators.” —Richard Monastersky

Comments

1. In a swift effort to get a judgement, UCLA filed papers in Los Angeles today claiming Primate Freedom Project and others are using unnecessary tactics to harass so-called researchers.

   Although California law requires 24 hour advance notice to appear in court, UCLA attorneys notified Primate Freedom Project only 12 hours in advance, insuring there would be no one in court this morning on behalf of Primate Freedom Project since PFP is based in the Atlanta area and has not retained legal counsel in LA.

   As PFP had no representative in the court, the Superior Court judge ruled in favor of UCLA and PFP has ‘unofficially’ been informed some information —public information — must be removed from the UCLA site. PFP will wait until we receive an official notice from the court. PFP will be contacting our counsel and will advise asap.

   UCLA has not identified any individual associated with or any criminal activities linked to Primate Freedom Project but has decided to drag Primate Freedom Project’s name through the mud in rounding-up people and groups that oppose primate cruelty and with a willingness to expose it.

   Check your Free Speech at the door. It is no longer welcome anywhere—-especially when it is the truth.

   Jean Barnes, Director, Primate Freedom Project

   — Jean Barnes-Dir. Primate Freedom Project    Feb 21, 11:57 PM    #

2. Aw, that’s cute, Jean.

   — gir    Feb 22, 08:48 AM    #

3. Nice try, Jean, but free speech doesn’t include giving out home addresses to people who have been known to firebomb the houses of individuals with whom they don’t agree. Focus your efforts on the disaster in the US meat industry, not on research that helps both non-human and human animals.

   — Beth    Feb 22, 09:36 AM    #

4. Even if PFP is innocent of all charges, it appears that they hang out with a pretty bad crowd. Time to find some new friends.

   — Tracy G.    Feb 22, 09:41 AM    #

5. Somehow I doubt that “underground animal-rights organizations” are going to be deterred by a restraining order.

   — J. Ward    Feb 22, 11:32 AM    #

6. Jean,

   Tell us whether PFP and its adherents gave any notice, much less 12 hours, to those researchers (not so-called) that they are targeting.

   — Jim M    Feb 22, 11:56 AM    #

7. Jean – you are a front for a terrorist group – nothing more, nothing less.

   — J    Feb 22, 12:00 PM    #

8. In any passionate movement, there are those whose passion finds non-violent protest lacking urgency. But I think we’ve seen from Ghandi and King to Williams and Corrigan that non-violence, in the end, is a much more effective and efficient form of opposition. Which makes one wonder if those who use violence aren’t just using the movement as an excuse to be violent because, in their core, they are dangerous sociopaths.

   — marci    Feb 22, 12:22 PM    #

9. As a friend and next door neighbor of a researcher in another state who has been targeted by the Primate Freedom Project, I can testify that it is a matter of real concern when individuals show up in ski masks and chant “For the animals we will fight. We know where you sleep at night”.

   — bp    Feb 22, 01:33 PM    #

10. Many compassionate people provide support for groups that promise action on behalf of abused humans or other animals. Often, these are people who otherwise feel powerless to address the abuses or injustices identified by the activist organizations. These caring and supportive people accept the information provided by the activist group—often without sufficient examination or critical thought.

    As an individual who has spent much of my career learning from animals—especially human and nonhuman primates—and attempting to improve their quality of life in labs and zoos, as well as the conservation of wild primates, I have had significant interactions with biomedical researchers, veterinarians, zoologists, animal welfare advocates, and animal rights activists. I have also received hate mail from otherwise nice and caring people who had been misinformed by hateful people who falsely claimed that I was an animal abuser. I was not amused, for example, when the address where my grandchildren lived (and I had lived some time before) was posted on a web site with the instructions “Let people of conscience do whatever their conscience allows.” Unlike many scientists who have been targeted in hate mail campaigns, I have answered many of the letters and in other cases have followed up to ascertain the sources. When I politely explained my interests and concerns and pointed out how they had been misinformed, I received many letters of apology. Of course, there were some who just intensified their rhetoric and told me how I should burn in hell, but it was quite clear that many of the people who had written were honest and caring people who were simply trying to end what they perceived as animal abuse by scientists. Then there were those who completely misrepresented themselves, claiming to be “teachers for animal dignity,” or something of the sort, when they were members of campus PeTA and anarchist clubs.

    All I can advise is to be cautious about supporting organizations that engage in hateful rhetoric and urge people to take violent action. That is, think critically about the tone and content of calls to action, especially if there is some simplistic sort of cult-like premise.

    Sadly, there are a lot of folks out there looking for an excuse to engage in some kind of violent or destructive behavior. Rhetoric that fans the flames of violence in the service of extreme causes must be critically examined. Those most concerned with free speech for themselves should be the strongest defenders of free speech for others. But misinformation somehow needs to be countered with accurate information, and that presents a difficult challenge. Who among us wishes to spend much time answering the malicious and distorted misinformation campaigns of radical anti-knowledge groups?

    — Joe Erwin    Feb 22, 03:12 PM    #

11. It is time for Jean, Rick and Jeremy (and their associates in Los Angeles) to stop. This restraining order is a good first step. Can’t wait to see what else the UC and the FBI have under the sleeve.

    — JV    Feb 22, 06:53 PM    #

Previous: Southern Methodist Will Sign Deal With George W. Bush Library on Friday, Reports Say
Next: Indian Chemist Is Found to Have Plagiarized and Falsified Articles