Terrorists Walk from Wisconsin Jail

Last August, concerned citizens from far and wide converged in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, at the firstSafe Farms Support Rally. Their message was simple: We have had enough of animal rights terrorism.

Terrorists Walk from Wisconsin Jail

For an earlier report on the same incident, see Masked Terrorists Arrested for Harassing Wisconsin Farmer, FCUSA press release, Jan. 18.

FOURTEEN PEOPLE ACCUSED in Plymouth, Wisconsin of harassing a retired mink farmer, or “disorderly conduct while masked” (a hallmark of animal rights terrorism), were released from Sheboygan County Jail the evening of Wednesday, Jan. 19.

Fittingly, Plymouth, which has suffered from a rash of attacks on mink farms and an arson at a feedmill during 1999, was also the site of the first Safe Farms Support Rally.(1) The Rally, held last Aug. 9, reflected an outpouring of frustration from farmers and other concerned citizens at the escalation of attacks from animal rights terrorists.

At a hearing in Sheboygan County earlier this week, the gang of 14 argued for lowered bail for a variety of excuses, from sickness to poverty to job and school commitments. The judge refused and the group managed to come up with $200 to $750 each. The taxpayers will absorb the balance of the costs related to arrests, processing, incarceration and, eventually, prosecution and trial.

At least half of those involved in the incident are leaders in the Student Organization for Animal Rights (SOAR), a student group registered with the University of Minnesota. Perhaps the balance of the costs should be footed by SOAR or the University of Minnesota.

Of those arrested, the following are known SOAR activists: Matthew Bullard, Julie Geldner, Frank Winbigler, Kate Peterson, Fred Tyler, Jeremiah Dunbar and Ami Voeltz. Joining the SOAR stalkers were Michael Durschmid of the Chicago Animal Rights Coalition(2) and Kim Berardi of Chicago’s Animal Defense League (ADL).

SOAR-Style Stalking or Creative Free Speech?

On Nov. 11, 1999, a grievance was filed on behalf of researchers at the University of Minnesota, asking for a revocation of SOAR’s student group status. The grievance marks the first attempt to strip a student group of its University standing and would result in loss of University funding and access to facilities.

The complaint pointed to four specific violations of the University’s Student Conduct Code, infractions of state laws and school regulations.(3) Add one more.

Virtually all those arrested were involved with the 1999 Primate Freedom Tour, a caravan of conflict gypsies delivered to targeted Ph.D.s at selected research facilities. The Tour generated modest press coverage, over 70 arrests paid for by taxpayer dollars, a touch of arson and lots of photo-ops of ski masks and black-hooded sweatshirts. This uniform of anarchy was recently made world-famous during last November’s orchestrated riots in Seattle at a meeting of the World Trade Organization.

Confirming that eco/animal rights terrorists travel in packs, all those arrested in Plymouth came from just a handful of locations: Chicago, Illinois and its suburb Olympia Fields, and the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, in Minnesota. Two of those arrested who refused to name their home towns also appear to be from Minnesota. Note also that there were no locals from Wisconsin; everyone was bussed across state lines.

Although those detained complained that they had been arrested while “protesting” and were protected by freedom of speech provisions, witnesses state they carried no signs. And why was EVERYONE wearing a mask? The incident occurred at 3:30 p.m. on a mild winter afternoon – the temperature was in the upper 20s, with a high for the day of 36°F. No rain, no snow, no wind.

Gene Meyer, the retired fur farmer who was targeted for terror, appeared on television, visibly shaken. Meyer noted that seeing the accused unmasked in the courtroom was therapeutic after the frightening incident of being harassed by a black-hooded, masked gang.

Hunger Striking or Posing?

Press releases issued by ADL-Chicago stated that those arrested were on hunger strikes while in jail. According to reports from the jailers, however, they ate while in custody but were picky eaters, setting aside any red meat, chicken or fish. Additionally, when showering, they expressed disgust over ordinary soap, another animal by-product. They also threatened lawsuits over police “cruelty”.

Now the police have escorted the group out of town, and the citizens of Plymouth, population 7,093, can return to their quiet rural routines — raising cows and sheep and chickens and pigeons and, yes, lots of domesticated mink filling their niche of helping to clean up afterwards.

NOTES:

(1) See Congressman Addresses Wisconsin Farmers and Concerned Citizens at Safe Farms Support Rally, FCUSA press release, Aug. 26, 1999.
(2) See Chicago Animal Rights Coalition
(3) Minnesota Daily Online, Nov. 29, 1999. Animal rights debate explored by Craig Gustafson.