FBI Raids Home Of Animal Rights Activists

[seemslikeadream]

POSTED: 10:07 am EST November 4, 2004

WEST PHILADELPHIA -- Animal rights activists tell NBC 10 that the FBI targeted their home last week.


Home Raided By FBI Agents


Armed anti-terrorism agents with the FBI's joint-terrorism task force raided the West Philadelphia home.

"I think that the agents with guns and dogs in a house for a group called Hugs for Puppies is pretty much overkill," said Kate Zaidan.

...

The activists said the raid is an example of abuses of the Patriot Act.

"Not only is it not okay to dissent, but it's not okay to live with or be friends with anybody that's dissenting either or you can expect armed government thugs to come in your house and take your stuff," said Fults.

The FBI in Chicago conducted this raid. A spokesperson would only tell NBC 10 that this is part of an ongoing investigation.

The activists in the home said they have hired civil rights attorneys.

http://www.nbc10.com/news/3889434/detail.html

[The Backlash Cometh]

1. Hugs for Puppies?

You're kidding me, right?

[struggle4progress]

40. "joint-terrorism task force" eom

[Ripley]

2. I wonder if it has anything to do with this:

Fults and Zaidan are two of several environmental and antiwar activists who live in the house.

[peterh]

9. animal enterprise terrorism act

http://www.phillyanimalrights.net/events.html

08/22/04 - "MEET THE TERRORIST DINNER"
Join Hugs for Puppies as we host a SHAC7 benefit dinner on Sunday August 22, at 6PM. The dinner will be held at Singapore Vegetarian Restaurant (1006 Race Street). The cost is $10 for an all you can eat vegan dinner, plus donations for the SHAC7.We will be featuring Kevin Jonas, spokesperson for Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC).
The SHAC7 are activists, charged as terrorists, under the animal enterprise terrorism act, who face 23 years in jail and 1.3 million dollars in fines for political activism. Their crime? Operating a website, and organizing legal demonstrations. Join us in support of these activists, they are standing trial for the civil liberities of us all. email [e-mail] with any questions.



http://www.americanjurist.net/news/2004/09/25/Perspectives/Free-Speech.A.Domestic.Terrorism.Casualty-731190.shtml

Congress originally enacted the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act in 1992 to protect industries using animals from underground direct actions, such as the rescue of animal from fur farms. Specifically, the act criminalizes activities causing "physical disruption" only against companies using animals for profit (animal enterprises). Under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, actions intended to save the lives of animals becomes terrorism when directed against an animal industry.


Hugs for Puppies...Tommy Chong....Asscroft has his domestic priorities.....:eyes:

[grumpy old fart]

15. "Culture of Life"

Here's another one for * and his b.s. "culture of life" to gag on.

[JackieO]

34. Support the SHAC 7

If you've never heard of the SHAC 7, please read this excellent article: http://www.impactpress.com/articles/augsep04/shac78904.html

The assault on the SHAC 7 in the era of the PATRIOT Act and "domestic terrorism" is a monumental event in the history of the animal rights movement. Let there be no mistake: the federal prosecution of the SHAC 7 is an attack on everyone who militates for the ideals of democracy, rights, freedom, and justice. As such, all those fighting for progressive causes of any kind should come now to SHAC's defense. Already, there are signs of solidarity and evidence of a wider recognition of the significance of the SHAC 7's indictment. Animal rights activists–both critics and supporters of SHAC–are organizing speaking tours and fundraisers to help pay for legal expenses. Lisa Lange, communications director for PETA, told The Star-Ledger that the SHAC 7 were "long-time activists and well-respected" as she defended the need for militant action where legal systems are unresponsive to calls for justice. An even more important sign, because it emerged from the social justice community, was a recent Z Magazine article by Will Potter that grasped the relevance of the SHAC 7 indictment for all protest movements. As Potter stated: "Their only chance is for activists of all social movements–regardless of their political views–to support them, and oppose the assault on basic civil liberties. Otherwise, in Bush's America, we could all be terrorists."

[Anakin Skywalker]

37. In case you don't know...

Since you mentioned Asscroft, I thought I should shed light on another pet project of his. He's been wasting federal tax dollars having people sit around and surf the WWW all day looking at porno sites and presumably taking data for his compilation. I wish I had kept the news links for this. I read it several months ago.

[leftchick]

10. what a coincidence....

I happen to be an active environmentalist and anti-war activist too. I also give as much as I am able to any animal rights cause. I guess I had better hunker down and wait for the brownshirts to drag me off.

[jdj]

21. it's not tongue in cheek any more, though

welcome to our brave new world

we always knew the patriot act would be used against americans.

[sniffa]

3. protecting puppies from hugs

and us from rubik's cubes.

[MadHound]

4. Yep, we couldn't see this coming now could we?

And thus it begins. Emboldened by the juanta's sweep into power, the brownshirt goons are going to suppress dissent at an ever aggressive and increasing rate.

I fear our country will be in shambles by the time the facist thugs are done.

[AtTheEndOfTheDay]

5. That didn't take long.

[snacker]

6. Here we go....

[Zorra]

7. You ain't seen nothing yet. Bu$h KGB: Coming to your neighborhood

soon.

And now the Constitution is moot. The courts will no longer consider it as a basis for our legal system. We are at this very moment in the throes of a very dangerous and repressive fascist police state.

You can thank your friendly neighborhood republican for your enslavement.

The activists said the raid is an example of abuses of the Patriot Act.

"Not only is it not okay to dissent, but it's not okay to live with or be friends with anybody that's dissenting either or you can expect armed government thugs to come in your house and take your stuff," said Fults.

http://www.nbc10.com/news/3889434/detail.html

[i_c_a_White_Ghost]

8. I hope some dog bit them in the Ass!

What's next?

[suegeo]

19. What's next? Try this on for size.

You can't say the P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act hasn't been used to check people's reading habits anymore

Writer raided for doing research

Here's a deeply creepy manifestation of the Patriot Act: A writer of "mainstream women's fiction" was working on an adventure novel set in Cambodia and involving terrorists. For research, she was buying books online, checking them out from the library, and looking at Cambodia-related websites.

Her home was raided and her writing material confiscated (including her computers, her files, her contracts, and even her music CDs). She still hasn't gotten most of her stuff back.

Read more at the link below for how the brownshirts treated her during their raid

http://www.livejournal.com/users/resonant8/71077.html

And after this becomes commonplace, you should get used to a boot coming down on your neck.

[Anakin Skywalker]

38. Some Words Caught My Eyes.

I noticed "Women's Fiction". Asscroft was just doing what comes natural to him. You see, in his world, women have no place writing anything except praises to da lord! Or else they belong in da kitchen barefoot and pregnant! Yea! Praise da lord!

[0007]

11. This is going a little to far, I think!

I was getting unwanted phone calls. I called my phone company told them the story, in order to get a line trap, I had to go to the Police Department and get a case number. The Detective that handled the case called me this morning and told me it was MCI out of Baltimore Maryland. Then I remembered being rude to an MCI solicitor one day a few months ago, I ask him his name and how he could be reached. He wanted to know why? I said, "I have "Do not Call" with the Federal Trade Commission for this very reason and your Company should not be calling this number. Then for two months I was receiving these calls sometimes three or four a day. I now have no more unwanted call. It is a free service 1-888 382-1222.

[FlaGranny]

24. MCI has been calling me three times a day for

the last month. I don't pick up the phone, but it's a pain to go to see who's calling. They haven't called all day today. Sometimes they stop for a while and then they'll start up again. I put myself on the no-call list a month or so ago, but they said it takes several months to go into effect. Mortgage companies also call me daily multiple times. A place called Homestar Mortgage has been calling me several times a day for at least two months now. Likewise, I do not answer.

[henslee]

12. She had some bootleg rubiks cubes in her house.

[murielm99]

29. What's the deal with rubik cubes?

Did I miss something?

Are those bad, too, now?

Fuck, I can't keep up.

[MisterP]

36. HS agents swaggered about a toy store and ordered the pulling

of "Magic Cube," the Hungarian-licensed version of the Rubik's Cube. The "Rubik's Cube" is U.S.-licensed, so they were basically fattening the U.S. manufacturers on taxpayer dough

[henslee]

13. You can bet the fbi has been to DU boards.

[grumpy old fart]

14. I feel so much safer now....

Thanks Mr. *.

[msanthrope]

16. Yes, I feel safer!!! Damn, I'm glad we have someone watching

over that infamous terrorist group, Hezbo---no, Hugs for Puppies!!!

Could someone make a snarky comment about the wolves commercial now? I'm too tired....

[KinkyDem]

17. Holy shit

I heard about this the day it happened from a friend of a friend who knows these folks!

I must wonder what list I'm on at this point.

[AmandaRuth]

18. this should make my co-workers happy

the equate animal rights people with terrorists and voted boosh.

[jukes]

20. jukes

has more than lawyers.

[Piperay]

22. Oh man

the next 4 years are really going to be something all right. :-(

[jdj]

23. I found this by googling, can someone explain what it means

and how it relates to the story?

"Here's why the Feds busted Hugs for Puppies (Score:0)

by Anonymous Comrade on Monday November 01 2004, @09:58AM (#1760)


SACM and SIG SUCCUMB TO INTERNET ATTACK FORCED TO STOP TRADING HLS STOCK!
The Animal Defense League received the following anonymous communique from a group calling itself the "Electronic Animal Brigade". In their letter they state that they flooded Stern Agee Capital Markets and Susquehanna with emails and 8GB attachments. This electronic protest was to decry their role in making a market for HLS cruelty. There is no doubt that these actions played an important role in forcing Stern Agee to stop making a market for HLS on Friday and Susquehanna to cease making a LSRI market after only 3 days of trading!

Keep these actions up on Legacy, GVR, and the Merrill Lynch newcomers!

begin communique
_______________________
Sterne Agge and SIG:
I just flooded your employee mailboxes with junk mail, lots of emails, and 8 GB's worth of attachments.

That's what you get for trading LSRI.

More to come until you quit making money off of murder.

Sincerely:
The Electronic Animal Brigade
______________________
end communique

http://info.interactivist.net/comments.pl?sid=3672&cid=1760

[Piperay]

25. Some animal group must have

driven down the price of stocks for companies that were contributing to the suffering of animals but it doesn't specifically mention Hugs for Puppies. :shrug:

[NickB79]

26. Someone send this to the Daily Show

The things Jon Stewart could do with this story.......

[girl gone mad]

27. So, what companies test on puppies?

I'd really like to know. Add them to the boycott list, if not for animal testing, then for sending jackbooted thugs to intimidate protestors.

[JackieO]

28. HLS

Huntingdon Life Sciences kills 500 animals a day. Not just puppies, but primates, cats and rabbits, too. Check out the undercover investigations: http://insidehls.com/

[Dukakis88]

30. Does this mean the Hugs for Puppies Cockfighting Championship is cancelled

My rooster friend Pedro the Annihilator will be saddened.

[Nihil]

31. "First they came for the animal rights activists ..."

... but that didn't bother me because I was not an animal rights activist."

What do you reckon: pagans next or homosexuals or anti-war protesters
or Muslims or ...?

[smbolisnch]

32. A sign of things to come....

I was beginning to feel paranoid. Stuff like this just smacks me over the head and reminds me that no, I'm not even close to it. Welcome to the new America.:grr: :mad:

[PSU84]

33. PLEASE SUPPORT THE ACLU!!!

We are all going to need them!

www.aclu.org

[leesa]

35. Where's the anthrax killer? Shouldn't the FBI be solving crimes like that

Or is arresting KKKarl Rove for murder tacky?

[seemslikeadream]

39. Vote fraud?

Democrats on Wednesday denounced a Republican lawmaker quoted in a newspaper as saying the GOP would fare poorly in this year's elections if it failed to "suppress the Detroit vote."
http://www.freep.com/news/latestnews/pm20777_20040721.htm