Britain, people have been campaigning against bloodsports for centuries. In 1516,
Thomas More, writing in his book Utopia , described hunting as "the lowest,
the vilest and most abject part of butchery." By the beginning of the Victorian
period, animal protection groups were starting to emerge, groups like the Society
for Preventing Wanton Cruelty to Brute Animals, the Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals (later to be known as the Royal Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals) and the Animals' Friend Society, among others. These new
groups promoted kindness to animals.
By the start of the twentieth century,
specific anti-bloodsports groups with names such as the League for the Prohibition
of Cruel Sports, the National Society for the Abolition of Cruel Sports and the
League against Cruel Sports, had been formed. Yet, despite all these groups actively
campaigning against bloodsports, they remained legal. Even now, in the 1990's,
with the overwhelming majority of British people opposed to hunting with hounds,
hunting remains legal.
Recognizing that Parliamentary campaigning would
not achieve the abolition of bloodsports, John Prestidge founded the Hunt Sabateurs
Association (HSA) in 1963. The HSA was the first group specifically dedicated
to using non-violent direct action means to save the lives of hunted animals -
methods that have been proven to work and continue to work to this day.
the formation of the HSA, Britain and countries across the world have seen the
creation of a number of animal and earth liberation direct action "groups"
whose tactics range from disruption and civil disobedience, as with the HSA and
Earth First!, right the way through to animal rescues and criminal damage actions,
such as those carried out by the Animal Liberation Front and the Earth Liberation
Because of the success of these types of groups, many people have
been drawn to direct action. For example, in 1980, Earth First! was born in America.
Today, there are Earth First! activists across the world with official contacts
not only in America, but also in Australia, Canada, Ireland, England, Finland,
France, Germany, India, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Scotland, Slovakia, Spain,
Sweden and Ukraine.
Anyone who engages in direct action, even if it's just
a simple picket, runs the risk of arrest and imprisonment. In Scotland, an Earth
First! activist was remanded to prison for a month for shouting "Shame"
as they felled some trees. (Shouting "shame" is illegal in Britain as
its intended to insult.) In America, three animal liberation activists were jailed
for three months for picketing a fur store. I, myself, am currently on police
bail charged with Conspiracy to Incite Criminal Damage because I write about animal/earth
liberation direct action. I face a possible ten year sentence for WRITING about
Being arrested is a frightening and isolating experience.
Suddenly, you're not in control of your life, you imagine the worst and this is
when you need support the most. After my first arrest, in just four days, I lost
over a stone in weight due to stress.
As members of the animal and earth
liberation movement, it is vital we support those people who have been jailed
for acting on their beliefs. Whether we agree with their action or not does not
matter. What does matter is that we recognise that their motive was to abolish
animal suffering and/or prevent the destruction of the planet.
Eco-Warrior has acted where others have only talked. They deserve all the support
we can give them. As a movement we cannot expect people to carry out direct action
if we then, don't support the activist if caught.
To support a jailed Eco-Warrior,
there are a number of things you can do. First, and most simply, write a letter
of support to the activist. Write a little bit about yourself. Tell the activist
any news you think might be of interest. However, remember all letters to prisoners
are read by the authorities. Don't say anything to a prisoner you wouldn't say
to a copper's face.
When you first write a letter to a prisoner, one of
the initial problems is knowing what to say. With my first ever letter of support
to a prisoner, I was terrified I would bore the prisoner. YOUR LETTER WON'T BORE
THE PRISONER. Prisoners love getting letters and appreciate the fact you wrote.
Even if the prisoner doesn't reply to your letter, it ISN'T because they didn't
appreciate the letter. It's because they might be restricted with the number of
letters they can send out and obviously want to keep their letter writing quota
for writing to family and old friends. It is a great buzz for anyone to know they've
got support. But, remember the prisoners aren't cartoon superheroes. They are
ordinary people who just happened to have acted on their beliefs. So, write to
prisoners and befriend them.
Another way you can help is by circulating
prisoner lists yourself. Tell your friends about anyone who has been recently
jailed and encourage them to write letters of support. If you publish your own
newsletter, include a reminder about the prisoners and, either list all the prisoners,
names and addresses or, give a contact address (such as the North American Animal
Liberation Front Supporters Group) where people can find out details themselves.
third way to help is to assist in tracking down new prisoners and to let the appropriate
people know about a person's arrest so others can be informed. Back in October
1995, animal liberation activists set fire to a barn in Devon, England to protest
live animal exports. On November 11, 1995, Devon police arrested Darren Cole,
charging him with the arson. On December 11, 1995, Darren was remanded into custody.
At the time of his remanding, Darren did not know about the Animal Liberation
Front Supporters Group (ALFSG). Nor did the ALFSG know about him. Darren could
have easily spent his entire time in prison without receiving any support. If
it hadn't been for the dedication of one A.L.F. supporter, he very well could
have. On December 11, 1995, the Devon local TV news announced that Darren had
been remanded for the arson. Listening to the news was "Jevon." As soon
as "Jevon" heard the news, he did everything he could to find out where
Darren had been remanded. He even visited the courts that had remanded Darren
to find out where he had been sent. Then, as soon as he knew where Darren was,
he wrote a letter to both Darren and the ALFSG telling them about each other.
Thanks to "Jevon," less than one week after Darren had been remanded,
his name and address were circulated by both the ALFSG and Earth Liberation Prisoners
Support Network (ELP). People WERE informed of Darren's imprisonment. People DID
write to Darren. People DID visit Darren and, basically, he DID get the support
If YOU hear of a person who was arrested, it's vital that YOU
do everything YOU can to make sure the prisoner gets the support deserved. Even
if the prisoner does know about the ALFSG and/or ELP, the prisoner will really
appreciate what you have done on his or her behalf. And, as for the various prisoner
support networks, they would much rather be told about the same prisoner twenty
times than not at all.
Supporting prisoners is a vital activity for people
involved with animal/earth liberation. If there wasn't any support, it would not
stop the actions from going ahead but, if there is support, it makes prison life
a lot easier for those unlucky enough to be caught.
SUPPORT ALL JAILED
ECO-WARRIORS. DO IT NOW!