Arsonists Hit Rhode Island Furrier; ALF Denies Use of Violence

FCUSA PRESS RELEASE, OCTOBER 30, 1999
Arsonists Hit Rhode Island Furrier; ALF Denies Use of Violence
THE ANIMAL LIBERATION FRONT has claimed guilt for a fire early in the morning of Oct. 22 that damaged four vans belonging to a Warwick, Rhode Island furrier. The arsonists also spray-painted the initials “ALF” at the scene.
Harold Harris, owner of Harris Furs, is reportedly offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the arsonists.
According to a statement from the North American ALF Press Office admitting guilt, the damage caused was likely in excess of $50,000, as one van was “a total write-off”.
ALF has often claimed that it is “non-violent”, and spokesman David Barbarash took the opportunity of this press release to explain why setting fire to trucks was acceptable behavior.
“We do not consider the destruction of property, of things, to be committing violence,” he said. “How does one do violence against something which is not alive?”
FCUSA’s Executive Director does not share his view.
“Property rights are human rights,” she says. “By attacking property, you violate the human right of a person to own and benefit from that property. And to violate something means to commit an act of violence against it. If Mr. Barbarash is going to start splitting words, he would do well to find out what they mean first.”
See also:
David Barbarash : Profile of ALF’s New Spokesman (HTML or PDF) FCUSA commentary, Oct. 13, 1999.
Animal Activist Denies Charges : ALF Spokesman David Barbarash Says Officials Are Trying to Discredit Him From the Sheboygan Press. Reproduced with permission. Oct. 10, 1999.
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