The
Earth Liberation Front (
ELF), also known as "
Elves" or "
The Elves", is the collective name for anonymous and autonomous individuals or covert cells who, according to the
ELF Press OfficeThe North American Earth Liberation Front Press Office is a legal, above-ground news service dedicated to publicizing the direct action of the Earth Liberation Front ....
, use "economic sabotage and
guerrilla warfareGuerrilla warfare is the irregular warfare warfare and combat in which a small group of combatants use mobile military tactics in the form of ambushes and raids to combat a larger and less mobile formal army....
to stop the
exploitationThe term "exploitation" may carry two distinct meanings:# The act of using something for any purpose. In this case, exploit is a synonym for use.# The act of using something in an unjust or cruel manner...
and destruction of the environment". The intellectual underpinnings rationalizing such actions is known as
RewildingRewilding is the process of creating permanently wild human cultures beyond domestication. In green anarchism and anarcho-primitivism, humans are said to be "civilized" or "domesticated" by civilization. Supporters of such human rewilding argue that through the process of domestication, human...
.
The ELF was founded in
BrightonBrighton is a town in the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex on the south coast of Great Britain...
in the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
in 1992 and spread to the rest of Europe by 1994. It is now an international
movementSocial movements are a type of group action. They are large informal groupings of individuals and/or organizations focused on specific political or social issues, in other words, on carrying out, resisting or undoing a social change....
with attacks reported in 17 countries and is widely regarded as the
Animal Liberation FrontThe Animal Liberation Front is a name used internationally by animal liberation activists who engage in direct action on behalf of animals. This includes removing animals from laboratories and fur farms and sabotaging various facilities...
's younger sister, because of the relationship and cooperation between the two movements. Using the same
leaderless resistanceLeaderless resistance is a political resistance strategy in which small, independent groups challenge an established adversary such as a government. Leaderless resistance can encompass anything from non-violent disruption and civil disobedience to bombings, assassinations and other violent...
model, as well as similar guidelines to the
ALFThe Animal Liberation Front is a name used internationally by animal liberation activists who engage in direct action on behalf of animals. This includes removing animals from laboratories and fur farms and sabotaging various facilities...
, sympathizers say that it is an eco-defense group dedicated to taking the
profitIn economics, economic profit is the difference between a company's total revenue and its opportunity costs. It is the increase in wealth that an investor has from making an investment, taking into consideration all costs associated with that investment including the opportunity cost of...
motive out of environmental destruction by causing economic damage to businesses through the use of
direct actionDirect action is politically motivated activity undertaken by individuals, groups, or governments to achieve political goals outside of normal social/political channels. Direct action can include nonviolent and violent activities which target persons, groups, or property deemed offensive to the...
.
The ELF was classified as the top
domestic terrorTerrorism is the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion.At present, there is no internationally agreed definition of terrorism...
threat in the United States by the
FBIThe Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency. The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
in March 2001, and are categorised as "eco-terrorists". The ELF's guidelines require that individuals or groups acting on its behalf "take all necessary precautions against harming any animal — human and nonhuman." On the lack of deaths from ELF attacks, the FBI's deputy assistant director for counterterrorism has said, "I think we're lucky. Once you set one of these fires they can go way out of control." The name came to public prominence when they were featured on the television show
60 Minutes60 Minutes is an American investigative television newsmagazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by long time producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation. It has been among the top-rated TV programs for much of its life,...
in 2005.
Structure and aims
ELF "monkeywrenching" is carried out against facilities and companies involved in
loggingLogging is the process in which certain trees are cut down for forest management and timber.In forestry the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard. In common usage...
,
genetic engineeringGenetic engineering, recombinant DNA technology, genetic modification/manipulation and gene splicing are terms that apply to the direct manipulation of an organism's genes. Genetic engineering is different from traditional breeding, where the organism's genes are manipulated indirectly...
,
GMO cropsA genetically modified organism or genetically engineered organism is an organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. These techniques, generally known as recombinant DNA technology, use DNA molecules from different sources, which are combined into one...
,
deforestationDeforestation is the clearance of naturally occurring forests by the processes of logging and/or burning of trees in a forested area. There are several reasons deforestation occurs: trees or derived charcoal can be sold as a commodity and used by humans, while cleared land is used as pasture,...
,
SUVA sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. Usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle, some SUVs include the towing...
sales,
urban sprawlUrban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is the spreading outwards of a city and its suburbs over rural land and to its outskirts. The problem of urban sprawl is that it is costly to initiate the development of new infrastructure adequate enough to support its residents...
,
rural clusterA Rural Cluster Development is a form of residential subdivision. In an RCD, houses are clustered together in areas zoned for larger properties. The remainder of the land is often designated "open space." The effect is tract-home density in the middle of rural communities....
and
McMansionMcMansion is a pejorative term used to describe a large house, particularly in the United States, that is rapidly constructed using modern labor-saving techniques in a manner reminiscent of food production at McDonald's fast food restaurants. The term is one of many McWords...
developments, energy production and distribution, and a wide variety of other activities, all charged by the ELF with exploiting the Earth, its environment and inhabitants.
The Earth Liberation Front has no formal leadership,
hierarchyA hierarchy is an arrangement of items in which the items are represented as being "above," "below," or "at the same level as" one another and with only one "neighbor" above and below each level. These classifications are made with regard to rank, importance, seniority, power status or authority...
, membership or official spokesperson and is entirely decentralized; instead consisting of individuals or cells who choose the term as a banner to use. Individuals are commonly known to work in affinity groups, known as cells, and are usually self-funded.
Techniques involve
destruction of propertySabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions...
, by either using tools to disable or the use of arson to destroy, what activists believe is being used to injure animals, people or the
environmentThe biophysical environment is the symbiosis between the physical environment and the biological life forms within the environment, and includes all variables that comprise the Earth's biosphere. The biophysical environment can be divided into two categories: the natural environment and the built...
. These actions are sometimes called
ecotageEcotage is a portmanteau of the "eco-" prefix and "sabotage". It is used to describe illegal acts of vandalism and violence, committed in the name of environmental protection. As a term it goes back to 1972 and predates the more recent neologism eco-terrorism...
and there are marked differences between their actions in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Jeff "Free" LuersJeffrey "Free" Luers is an eco-anarchist from Los Angeles, California, who served a ten year prison sentence for arson in the U.S. state of Oregon. On February 14, 2007, The Oregon Court of Appeals overturned Luers' sentence, instructing the Lane County circuit court to determine a new sentence...
, who is serving a ten year sentence for the firebombing of SUV's at a dealership, which was revised from twenty-two years and ten months, describes why the ELF exists and why they have kept by the guidelines that were initially published for the movement:
With many different reasons why ELF activists carry out economic sabotage, a communique to the press claiming the responsibility for an arson against
urban sprawlUrban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is the spreading outwards of a city and its suburbs over rural land and to its outskirts. The problem of urban sprawl is that it is costly to initiate the development of new infrastructure adequate enough to support its residents...
in December 2000, described the reason a cell the took an action. As Elves usually do, they claimed that burning down the house was non-violent, because it was searched for any living creatures; an issue which is much debated within the
environmental movementThe environmental movement, a term that includes the conservation and green movements, is a diverse scientific, social, and political movement for addressing environmental issues....
.
Any direct action to halt the destruction of the environment and adhering to the strict non-violent guidelines, can be considered an ELF action. Economic sabotage and property destruction are the primary focus of the published guidelines:
Some of the most common and notable attacks are against the development of multi-million dollar houses, known as McMansions, a frequent target in the ELF campaign. In a communique to the ELF Press Officer in North America, that was later published in
The Environmental MagazineE/The Environmental Magazine is a bi-monthly magazine and website established in 1990.It is published by Earth Action Network, Inc.-External links:* - official website...
, the group declared in 2001:
Press office
The
North American Earth Liberation Front Press OfficeThe North American Earth Liberation Front Press Office is a legal, above-ground news service dedicated to publicizing the direct action of the Earth Liberation Front ....
(NAELFPO
or ELFPO) was relaunched in October 2008, receiving anonymous communiques from activists, for distributing to the press and public, to discuss the motives, ideologies and history behind such actions.
Craig RosebraughCraig Rosebraugh is a writer and political activist who has been associated with the Earth Liberation Front and the Animal Liberation Front , and who has served as a spokesman for both groups' press offices.- Activism :...
served as an unofficial spokesperson for the ELF Press Office in North America from 1997 to early September 2001. Doubts have been raised about whether Rosebraugh or other unofficial spokespeople actually have ties to the cells involved, although the press office claim they do not know the identities of ELF members.
Support networks
Prisoner support networks support ELF prisoners, such as Spirit of Freedom (
ELPSNThe Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network , also known as Spirit of Freedom, is a network to provide information on people imprisoned for direct action relating to campaigns on Environmental and other issues...
)
, an English website listing all earth liberation prisoners, as well as a variety of other prisoners of conscience. There are also ELF support networks in
BelgiumThe Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO...
,
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
, North America, and
PolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe . Poland is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, which collectively coordinate the support of prisoners, as well as websites for specific prisoners, such as for; Rod Coronado, Jeff "Free" Luers, Daniel McGowan, Briana Waters and
Tre ArrowTre Arrow is a green and raw veganarchist who gained prominence in the U.S. state of Oregon in the late 1990s and early 2000s after committing acts of arson. He unsuccessfully sought political asylum in Canada, and was extradited to Portland, Oregon, on February 29, 2008, to face 14 counts of...
. The networks distribute literature written by those in prison, to their supporters and other support groups, and sometimes raise funds for those who require financial aid in their cases.
Philosophy
Radical environmentalistsRadical environmentalism, is a grassroots branch of the larger environmental movement that emerged out of an ecocentrism-based frustration with the co-option of mainstream environmentalism...
, that claim to be
earth liberationEarth liberation has no universal understanding as a concept, as it is much considered to be a part of radical environmentalism, or as a militant off-shoot, favouring instead radical and revolutionary environmentalism.-History:...
ists, range from a diversity of individuals with a variety of different ideologies as well as theories. These include;
animal liberationAnimal liberation may refer to:Philosophies*Animal rights, animals being considered as legal persons*Abolitionism , an abolitionist approach to animal rights*Veganarchism, a combined theory of animal liberation and anarchism...
ists, anti-capitalists,
green anarchistsGreen anarchism is a school of thought within anarchism which puts an emphasis on environmental issues. An important early influence was the thought of the American individualist anarchist Henry David Thoreau and his book Walden. Some green anarchists can be described as anarcho-primitivists ,...
,
deep ecologistsDeep ecology is a somewhat recent branch of ecological philosophy that considers humankind as an integral part of its environment. The philosophy emphasizes the equal value of human and non-human life as well as the importance of the ecosystem and natural processes...
,
eco-feministsEcofeminism is a social and political movement which points to the existence of considerable common ground between environmentalism and feminism, with some currents linking deep ecology and feminism...
, and anti-globalisationists.
Elves argue that illegal direct action is required in order to aid the
earth liberationEarth liberation has no universal understanding as a concept, as it is much considered to be a part of radical environmentalism, or as a militant off-shoot, favouring instead radical and revolutionary environmentalism.-History:...
movement, also referred to as eco-resistance movement, and a part of the
radical environmental movementRadical environmentalism, is a grassroots branch of the larger environmental movement that emerged out of an ecocentrism-based frustration with the co-option of mainstream environmentalism...
. The ELF claim that it would be similar to how the ALF has projected forward the
animal liberation movementThe animal liberation movement, sometimes called the animal rights movement, animal personhood, or animal advocacy movement, is a global movement with roughly three components: philosophical debate, legal development, and direct action...
. There was also the intention that in the same way
animal liberationAnimal liberation may refer to:Philosophies*Animal rights, animals being considered as legal persons*Abolitionism , an abolitionist approach to animal rights*Veganarchism, a combined theory of animal liberation and anarchism...
ists "help out" with legal campaigns, earth liberationists would aid above-ground environmental organisations, notably Earth First!, by acts of ecotage.
United Kingdom
The Earth Liberation Front was founded in 1992 in Brighton, England by members of the
Earth First!Earth First! is a radical environmental advocacy group that emerged in the Southwestern United States in 1979.Inspired by Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, Aldo Leopold's land ethic, and Edward Abbey's The Monkey Wrench Gang, a group of activists composed of Environmental activist Dave Foreman,...
(EF!) environmental movement at the first ever national meeting. At the time, EF! had become very popular, so people's concerns were based on maintaining this popularity and by doing so not associating with overt law breaking. There was no universal agreement over this, but it was accepted amongst the movement that British EF! would instead continue to advocate and focus on civil disobedience and mass demonstrations. If people wanted to participate in acts of ecotage, the new name "Earth Liberation Front" would be used, with its name and guidelines derived from the
Animal Liberation FrontThe Animal Liberation Front is a name used internationally by animal liberation activists who engage in direct action on behalf of animals. This includes removing animals from laboratories and fur farms and sabotaging various facilities...
(ALF), another movement that uses
direct actionDirect action is politically motivated activity undertaken by individuals, groups, or governments to achieve political goals outside of normal social/political channels. Direct action can include nonviolent and violent activities which target persons, groups, or property deemed offensive to the...
to liberate animals or sabotage companies using them. It was understood that the simplicity of the guidelines was a crucial factor in order to engage as many people as possible to the new cause, with the intention that the ELF would quickly become as popular as the ALF.
Earth Night
The very first ELF action is unknown, or undocumented, but one of the first and most notable actions was on April Fool's Earth Night 1992, a night organised by activists to carry out ecotage and also one of the first of them. The Elves, as they were also known, targeted Fisons, a peat company accused of destroying the peat bogs causing £50,000-70,000 worth of damage. Pumps, trucks and other machinery belonging to the company were destroyed after legal campaigners,
Friends of the EarthFriends of the Earth International is an international network of environmental organizations in 77 countries.Friends of the Earth International are the world's largest grassroots environmental network and they campaign on today's most urgent environmental and social issues...
, spent two years advocating a boycott of the company.
Green AnarchistThe magazine Green Anarchist was for a while the principal voice in the UK advocating green anarchism, an explicit fusion of libertarian socialist and ecological thinking.-Early years:...
magazine publicised the communique with the demands from the ELF:
EF! Journal
In the September–October 1993 issue of the Earth First! Journal
, an anonymous article announced the creation of the ELF in England. It said the ELF is a movement of independently operating eco-saboteurs that split from the British EF! movement, which has focused directly on public direct actions. The author noted that, unlike the ALF which seeks publicity: "ELF cells, for security reasons, work without informing the press and do not claim responsibility for actions."
Europe
The ELF quickly spread across to Europe by 1994, with actions first occurring in Holland, Germany, Russia, Scandinavia, New Zealand, Italy, Ireland, Poland, Spain, France and Finland, and the name starting to be used across the globe. and is widely regarded as the
Animal Liberation FrontThe Animal Liberation Front is a name used internationally by animal liberation activists who engage in direct action on behalf of animals. This includes removing animals from laboratories and fur farms and sabotaging various facilities...
's younger sister, because of the relationship and cooperation between the two movements. It is believed that cells rapidly established themselves in new countries because of the global outreach of Earth First! and the connection between the two groups. British Elves were also making contact with link-minded activists, informing them about the ELF and its tactics, with missionaries targeting specifically France, Spain, Germany and Holland.
Within two years, McDonalds had been vandalised in Germany and Poland, Amsterdam Airport and been sabotaged with cars trashed and hunting towers were destroyed in Holland and Germany, presumably inspired by similar actions against hunting by the ALF.
North America
- Further information: North American Earth Liberation Front Press Office
The North American Earth Liberation Front Press Office is a legal, above-ground news service dedicated to publicizing the direct action of the Earth Liberation Front ....
Canadian ELA
The first time it was known that an
earth liberationEarth liberation has no universal understanding as a concept, as it is much considered to be a part of radical environmentalism, or as a militant off-shoot, favouring instead radical and revolutionary environmentalism.-History:...
action had happened in North America, was in 1995, in Canada, by a group calling itself the
Earth Liberation ArmyThe Earth Liberation Army , similar to the Earth Liberation Front , is the collective name for anonymous and autonomous individuals or groups that use "economic sabotage and guerrilla warfare to stop the exploitation and destruction of the natural environment", commonly known as ecotage or...
(ELA). They were considered by the European Elves at the time to be "transatlantic cousins". On 19 June 1995, the ELA burned down a wildlife museum and damaged a hunting lodge in
British ColumbiaBritish Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is famed for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . In 1871, it became the sixth province of Canada.The capital of British Columbia is Victoria, the 15th largest metropolitan region in Canada...
.
United States
On
Columbus DayMany countries in the New World and elsewhere celebrate the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas, which occurred on October 12, 1492 in the Julian calendar and October 21, 1492 in the modern Gregorian calendar, as an official holiday...
1996, activists spraypainted "504 years of genocide" and "ELF" on the walls of a public relations office, as well as a McDonalds restaurant in
OregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, the actions were the very first by the ELF in the United States. The same restaurant then had its locks glued and spraypainted again, but this time in support of the
British McLibel TwoMcDonald's Restaurants v Morris & Steel was an English lawsuit filed by McDonald's Corporation against environmental activists Helen Steel and David Morris over a pamphlet critical of the company...
, two activists who had distributed anti-McDonalds leaflets. The next day, it was reported that another two McDonalds restaurants, again in
OregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, had their locks glued by ELF activists. The only other reported action of the year was on Christmas Day, when a fur farm was raided in
MichiganMichigan is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. It was named after Lake Michigan, whose name is a French adaptation of the Ojibwe term mishigama, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
and 150 mink released into the wild by the
Great LakesThe Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in eastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth. They are sometimes referred to as the "Third...
ELF.
Mexico
In late November 2008, a group calling itself eco-anarquista por el ataque directo (Eco-anarchist cell for direct attack) claimed responsibility for a number of recent actions, including: half a dozen Molotov cocktails thrown at tren férreo (metro rail) in Mexico City, Incendiary sabotage against Telmex, a
Molotov cocktailThe Molotov cocktail, also known as the petrol bomb, gasoline bomb, or Molotov bomb, or simply Molotov, is a generic name used for a variety of improvised incendiary weapons...
thrown at a Banamex ATM. These attacks were claimed to have taken place “as a form of 'protest' against the construction of a new rail line (line 12), in
Mexico CityMexico City is the capital city of Mexico. It is the economic, industrial, and cultural center in the country, and the most populous city, with about 8,836,045 inhabitants in 2008...
(D.F.) and Mexico State; already because of its construction many trees were cut down, entire families evicted and land expropriated with large hectares of green areas subsequently deforested.”
Soon after this initial group of actions, the Frente de Liberación de la Tierra (Earth Liberation Front) claimed responsibility for a number of actions including the sabotage of a construction machine on December 30 2008, arson at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and the March 22nd, 2009 arson of construction equipment in
GuadalajaraGuadalajara may refer to the following places:*Guadalajara, Jalisco, the capital of the state of Jalisco and second largest city in Mexico*Club Deportivo Guadalajara, a Mexican football club*Guadalajara , a province in Castile-La Mancha...
,
JaliscoJalisco is one of the 31 Mexican states that, together with the Mexican Federal District, conform the 32 federal entities of Mexico.Jalisco is located in central-western Mexico. It is bordered by the states of Nayarit to the northwest, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes and San Luis Potosí to the north,...
.
Notable attacks: 1998-2009
1998/1999
The ELF gained national attention for a series of actions which earned them the label of
eco-terroristsEco-terrorism is a controversial term applied to acts of violence or sabotage committed in support of ecological, environmental, or animal rights causes against persons or their property...
, and one of the top domestic terror threats in the United States. This came after the burning of a
skiA ski is a long, flat device worn on the feet designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow. Originally intended as an aid to travel in snowy regions, they are now primarily used for recreational and sporting purposes...
resort in
Vail, ColoradoThe Town of Vail is a Home Rule Municipality located in Eagle County, Colorado. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 4,589. The town was established in 1966 at the base of Vail Ski Resort, which opened in December 1962...
, on October 19, costing $12 million. In a communique to the press, the ELF said:
Actions also included sabotaging power lines, the burning of an SUV dealership and the burning down of a logging headquarters causing $1 million in damages. The Elves wrote to the local paper "Let this be a lesson to all greedy multinational corporations who don't respect their ecosystems," with most actions taking place in
OregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. The defendants in the case were later charged in the FBI's "
Operation BackfireOperation Backfire is a multi-agency criminal investigation, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation , into destructive acts in the name of animal rights and environmental causes in the United States regarded as eco-terrorism by the FBI....
", which included 17 acts of property destruction.
The ELF then set fire to the
Michigan State UniversityMichigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act. Its alumni include at least six winners of the...
on New Years Eve, using a gasoline bomb to cause $1.1 million in damages, because of their
GMOA GMO is a genetically modified organism.GMO may also refer to:* Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad, a U.S. railroad carrier corporation*General Medical Officer, a designation for United States Army soldiers* U.S...
-engineering. The next day, commercial
loggingLogging is the process in which certain trees are cut down for forest management and timber.In forestry the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard. In common usage...
equipment was set on fire, with "ELF"
and "Go Log in Hell"
spraypainted on a truck. In March 2008, four activists were charged for both the arsons. On November 27, in Oregon, the ELF burned the Legend Ridge mansion and sent a message to the Boulder Weekly saying "Viva la revolution!" Damages were estimated at $2.5 million.
2000
In March, a total of thirty SUVs were torched, belonging to Joe Romania's dealership, in Oregon, with damages estimated at $1 million. The action was claimed in support of Jeff "Free" Luers, who targeted the very same dealership and was in court for the charges at the time. He was then sentenced to twenty-two years in jail, later revised to ten.
2001
On May 21, a fire destroyed laboratories, offices and archives at the Center for Urban Horticulture,
University of WashingtonUniversity of Washington, founded in 1861, is a public research university in Seattle, Washington, United States. UW is the largest university in the northwestern United States and one of the oldest public universities on the west coast. The university has three campuses, with its flagship campus...
, causing a total of $7 million in damages. The arson destroyed 20 years of research and plant and book collections. The ELF claimed responsibility based upon the incorrect belief that the University was involved in
genetic engineeringGenetic engineering, recombinant DNA technology, genetic modification/manipulation and gene splicing are terms that apply to the direct manipulation of an organism's genes. Genetic engineering is different from traditional breeding, where the organism's genes are manipulated indirectly...
of poplar trees . No genetic engineering was being conducted. In the wake of the attack, an FBI spokeswoman in
Portland, OregonPortland is a city located in the Northwestern United States, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the state of Oregon. As of July 2008, it has an estimated population of 575,930, making it the 29th most populous in the United States. It has been referred to as the most...
said "I don't think there's any doubt the ELF is upping the ante".
On November 21, ELF member Ian Wallace planted incendiary devices outside of two buildings on the campus of
Michigan Technological UniversityMichigan Technological University is an American public university with a range of degree offerings. Michigan Tech's campus is located on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the city of Houghton.-History:...
in
Houghton, MichiganHoughton is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan's Upper Peninsula and largest city in the Copper Country on the Keweenaw Peninsula. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 7,010. It is the county seat of Houghton County...
during the early morning hours. The devices failed, and on March 21, 2009, Wallace was sentenced to three years in prison for the incident by Judge Robert Holmes Bell, who said Wallace "didn't intend to hurt anybody, (but) this is a serious offense."
Said Wallace after his conviction, "I have been consumed by shame for what I have done," Wallace said. "My greatest blessing is that no one got hurt."
2003
On August 1, a 206-unit condominium in San Diego was destroyed, with a banner left at the scene saying "If you build it, we will burn it"
, signed "The E.L.F.s are mad"
. The damages totaled $50 million after flames reached an estimated in the air, as over a hundred fire fighters attempted to put out the fire. The destruction was the movements most financially damaging action against a target, with a local preservation group calling the action pointless, noting that "You can go and burn something down, but it's just going to get built again." Exactly three weeks later, 125 SUVs and
hummerHummer is a brand of off-road vehicles by Sichuan Tengzhong, earlier owned by General Motors. The original Hummer H1 was based on the military High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle...
s were torched, costing a total of $3.5 million, with "I love
pollutionPollution is the introduction of contaminants into an environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms . Pollution can take the form of chemical substances, or energy, such as noise, heat, or light...
" spray-painted at the scene, and a month later homes being built in San Diego were targeted again, this time costing an estimated $450,000 in damages.
2005
The FBI's most recent report stated that there had been over 1,200 "criminal incidents", within January 2006. A nearly completed house, worth $3 million, was burnt to the ground in
WashingtonWashington is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Washington was carved out of the western part of Washington Territory which had been ceded by Britain in 1846 by the Oregon Treaty as settlement of the Oregon Boundary Dispute. It was admitted to the Union as the...
. The Herald Net
reported that a bedsheet was drapped across the front gate, with a threatening message spray-painted on it.
2008
One of the latest ELF arsons was reported on the morning of March 3, when explosive devices set fire to four multi-million dollar homes from the 2007 Seattle Street of DreamsOn March 3, 2008, four multi-million-dollar homes were set on fire in Echo Lake, Washington, on Echo Lake Road, off State Highway 522. Slogans spray-painted on one of the burned houses' fences attributed the arson to the Earth Liberation Front, with words such as "Built Green? Nope black!...
in Echo Lake, WashingtonEcho Lake is a census-designated place in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The population was 849 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Echo Lake is located at ....
, costing $7 million in damage. Authorities described the act as "domestic terrorism" after finding "ELF" spray-painted in red letters, mocking claims that the homes were environmentally friendly: "Built Green? Nope black! McMansions in RCDA Rural Cluster Development is a form of residential subdivision. In an RCD, houses are clustered together in areas zoned for larger properties. The remainder of the land is often designated "open space." The effect is tract-home density in the middle of rural communities....
s r not green. ELF." A criminology professor replied saying: "The real unfortunate thing is many citizens will empathize with ELF because their goal is the environment."
2009
On March 23 the ELF claim the burning of an excavator in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico State. In one of many recent anonymous communiques, the ELF reported to Bite Back; "Maybe we have not collapsed the system of domination with these actions, but it begins with actions like these."
On September 4 ELF claimed responsibility for using a stolen excavator to overturn two AM radio towerRadio tower may refer to:*Radio masts and towers, structures for supporting radio antennas*Radio Tower, an Indie Rock band based in Lansing, Michigan*Goldenrod Radio Tower, a fictional building in the Pokémon universe...
s belonging to station KRKOKRKO is a radio station broadcasting an All Sports format. Licensed to Everett, Washington, USA, it serves the Seattle metropolitan area. The station is currently operated by S-R Broadcasting Co., Inc., a locally owned company.- History :...
near Seattle, WashingtonSeattle is located in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Situated in the western part of Washington State on an isthmus between Puget Sound and Lake Washington, about south of the Canada – United States border, it is named after Chief Sealth, of the Duwamish and Suquamish tribes...
; they claimed that radio waves are dangerous.
A Texas man was arrested after contruction workers found a disabled construction vehicle grafiteed with the words "ANOTHER TRACTOR DECOMMISSIONED BY THE E.L.F."
ELA and Environmental Rangers
- Further reading: Earth Liberation Army
The Earth Liberation Army , similar to the Earth Liberation Front , is the collective name for anonymous and autonomous individuals or groups that use "economic sabotage and guerrilla warfare to stop the exploitation and destruction of the natural environment", commonly known as ecotage or...
(ELA)
The first major report of another name other than ELF being used to claim ecotage was in 1998, when the Earth Liberation ArmyThe Earth Liberation Army , similar to the Earth Liberation Front , is the collective name for anonymous and autonomous individuals or groups that use "economic sabotage and guerrilla warfare to stop the exploitation and destruction of the natural environment", commonly known as ecotage or...
(ELA) claimed the arson at Vail Resorts that severely damaged the resort in Vail, CO costing $12 million in damages.
Two years later, in Oregon, four SUVs were completely destroyed by placing jugs of gas under the vehicles, with the ELA calling for others to "[c]ontinue the fight to remove the profit motive from the killing of the environment (biophysical)." Jeff LuersJeffrey "Free" Luers is an eco-anarchist from Los Angeles, California, who served a ten year prison sentence for arson in the U.S. state of Oregon. On February 14, 2007, The Oregon Court of Appeals overturned Luers' sentence, instructing the Lane County circuit court to determine a new sentence...
was later convicted of arson, as part of the Operation Backfire case, along with other ALF and ELF defendants. There have also been other groups that have caused similar damage as the ELF, with in 2001 reports that "eco-terrorist" attacks, known as "ecotage" had increased. These included the ELF, the ELA, and another name being used the "Environmental Rangers" who use similar tactics.
Activists have also used the names "The Moles", "The Grey Wolves", "Westcountry Wildlife Cell", "Eco-Animal Defense Unit" and "Radical Brigades for Ecological Defence", as well as others.
Environmental Life Force
The Environmental Life Force, was the first radical group to use explosive and incendiary deviceIncendiary weapons, Incendiary devices or incendiary bombs are bombs designed to start fires or destroy sensitive equipment using materials such as napalm, thermite, chlorine trifluoride, or white phosphorus.According to the...
s to promote pro-environment causes, also known as the Original ELF. It was founded by John Hanna, who was the only member of the group to be arrested and convicted for the use of explosives on federal property.
Although it was an eco-guerilla entity with similar philosophies to the current ELF (Earth Liberation Front), which formed fifteen years later, there was no formal link between the two groups, and founders of the Earth Liberation Front may not have even been aware of the existence of the Environmental Life Force. Despite this, it has acknowledged in written communications that Dave Foreman, who founded Earth First!Earth First! is a radical environmental advocacy group that emerged in the Southwestern United States in 1979.Inspired by Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, Aldo Leopold's land ethic, and Edward Abbey's The Monkey Wrench Gang, a group of activists composed of Environmental activist Dave Foreman,...
three years after the original ELF, was in communication with Hanna in the mid 1980s, before the Earth Liberation Front was founded, which was after Foreman cut ties with the Earth First! movement.
First ELF arrest
- Further information: Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network
The Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network , also known as Spirit of Freedom, is a network to provide information on people imprisoned for direct action relating to campaigns on Environmental and other issues...
In 1994, Dutch authorities and police made claims that British ELF activists were travelling abroad to cause sabotage, which were disputed by the organization, with later that year the first ELP activist being caught and later charged. Known as Paul S., he was arrested and accused of carrying out an 18-month campaign of vandalism in Holland against road construction sites. The Dutch government attempted to declare him insane, because of his inability to provide a political reason for his actions, other than his care for the environment. This was unsuccessful and the prisoner was sentenced to three years for damaging property.
British police raids
Due to the increased popularity of the environmental movementRadical environmentalism, is a grassroots branch of the larger environmental movement that emerged out of an ecocentrism-based frustration with the co-option of mainstream environmentalism...
, as well as the animal liberation movementThe animal liberation movement, sometimes called the animal rights movement, animal personhood, or animal advocacy movement, is a global movement with roughly three components: philosophical debate, legal development, and direct action...
and estimates that five ALF actions occurred per day, police carried out a series of raids against animal rightsAnimal rights, also referred to as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of humans...
and environmental activists. In total, there were 55 homes raided against suspected ALF and ELF activists, including an individual in Italy. The police had not managed to charge anyone with any illegal activities, until on January 16, 1996, when six men were charged for a five year ALF/ELF campaign. They were sentenced a year later each to three years for conspiracy to incite direct action in the name of animal and earth liberation.
Operation Backfire
The term Green ScareThe term Green Scare, alluding to the Red Scares, periods of fear over communist infiltration of U.S. society, is a term popularized by environmental activists to refer to legal action by the U.S...
, alluding to the Red ScareIn US history, the term Red Scare denotes two distinct periods of strong anti-communism: the First Red Scare, from 1917 to 1920, and the Second Red Scare, from 1947 to 1957. The Scares were characterized by the fear that communism would upset the capitalist social order in the United States; the...
s, periods of fear over communist infiltration of U.S. society, is a term popularized by environmental activists to refer to legal action by the U.S. government against the radical environmentalistRadical environmentalism, is a grassroots branch of the larger environmental movement that emerged out of an ecocentrism-based frustration with the co-option of mainstream environmentalism...
movement.
It is first known to have appeared in 2002 in the wake of the February 12 congressional hearings titled "The Threat of Eco-Terrorism" which discussed groups including the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) and the Animal Liberation FrontThe Animal Liberation Front is a name used internationally by animal liberation activists who engage in direct action on behalf of animals. This includes removing animals from laboratories and fur farms and sabotaging various facilities...
(ALF). In late 2005 and early 2006, as part of Operation BackfireOperation Backfire is a multi-agency criminal investigation, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation , into destructive acts in the name of animal rights and environmental causes in the United States regarded as eco-terrorism by the FBI....
, US grand juriesIn the common law, a grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether there is enough evidence for a trial. Grand juries carry out this duty by examining evidence presented to them by a prosecutor and issuing indictments, or by investigating alleged crimes and issuing presentments...
indicted a total of 18 activists on a range of charges related to "violent acts in the name of animal rights and environmental causes". According to the FBI, many of these acts were carried out on behalf of the ELF and was considered as one of the largest arrests of environmental activists in American history.
The operation resulted in the arrest of Chelsea Dawn GerlachChelsea Dawn Gerlach is a radical environmentalist associated with the Earth Liberation Front and the Animal Liberation Front.-Biography:...
, William C. RodgersBill Rodgers a.k.a. Avalon , co-proprietor of the Catalyst Infoshop in Prescott, Arizona, USA, was one of six environmental activists arrested December 7, 2005 as part of the FBI's Operation Backfire. He was charged with one count of arson for a June, 1998 fire set by the Earth Liberation Front at...
, and Daniel McGowan.
In 2008, the FBI increased the reward for handing over four suspects to $50,000. The four, two Americans and two Canadians, are believed to have fled the U.S. through Mexico and are possibly hiding in Syria, Russia, China or India. The announcement of an increased manhunt came on the tenth anniversary of the bombing in Vail.
Philosophy
- Further information: Earth liberation
Earth liberation has no universal understanding as a concept, as it is much considered to be a part of radical environmentalism, or as a militant off-shoot, favouring instead radical and revolutionary environmentalism.-History:...
, Animal liberationAnimal liberation may refer to:Philosophies*Animal rights, animals being considered as legal persons*Abolitionism , an abolitionist approach to animal rights*Veganarchism, a combined theory of animal liberation and anarchism...
, EcocentrismEcocentrism is a term used in ecological political philosophy to denote a nature-centred, as opposed to human-centred, system of values. The justification for ecocentrism usually consists in an ontological belief and subsequent ethical claim...
, BiocentrismBiocentrism and biocentric are terms implying a centrality of life, nature, or biology....
and Deep ecologyDeep ecology is a somewhat recent branch of ecological philosophy that considers humankind as an integral part of its environment. The philosophy emphasizes the equal value of human and non-human life as well as the importance of the ecosystem and natural processes...
- Radical environmentalists consider the ELF to be the environmental wing of the Animal Liberation Front
The Animal Liberation Front is a name used internationally by animal liberation activists who engage in direct action on behalf of animals. This includes removing animals from laboratories and fur farms and sabotaging various facilities...
, effectively acting as the Eco-ALF. Evidence of this include names used such as the "Westcountry Wildlife Cell" and then later "ALF: Eco-Animal Defense Unit".
- The ELF is also considered to be the ALF's younger sister, forming 16 years later and due to the fact that the guidelines, as well as the name itself, were derived from the movement.
- Despite the movements only forming alliances in 1996/1997, activists such as Rod Coronado
Rodney Adam Coronado is a Native American eco-anarchist and animal rights activist. He is an advocate and former activist for the Animal Liberation Front and a spokesperson for the Earth Liberation Front...
were known to be active in both the ALF and ELF dating back before the names were officially used together.
Noel Molland, a former ELF activist, writes in Steven BestSteven Best is an American animal rights activist, author, talk-show host, and associate professor of philosophy at the University of Texas at El Paso...
's Igniting a Revolution that:
History
During the mid 1990s, the Western Wildlife Unit, an ELF branch in Britain, were responsible for various acts of animal rightsAnimal rights, also referred to as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of humans...
themed direct action. The ecotages included spiking trees as well as targeting anglers, all in the name of wooldand animals. However, it wasn't until sometime later, in the United States, that a joint claim of responsibility was made.
Molland also writes that the first established ALF and ELF action was established on March 14, 1997, when the "Animal Liberation Front - Eco-Animal Defense Unit" claimed the spikingalign="right" | |}Tree spiking is a form of sabotage which involves hammering a metal rod or other material into a tree trunk in order to discourage logging. A metal saw blade hitting an embedded spike could break or shatter, making it uneconomic to fell those trees...
of 47 trees in a clearcut area, Oregon. This was only a few months after the fur farm had been raided by the Great Lakes ELF, which also highlighted the overlap in direct action for animal rightsAnimal rights, also referred to as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of humans...
and environmentalismEnvironmentalism is a broad philosophy and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the state of the environment...
. The groups intention was to state that the farm they had raided was a joint effort between members of the Animal and Earth Liberation Front.
Five days later, the "Bay Area Cell of the Earth and Animal Liberation Front" claimed the fire bombing of the University of CaliforniaThe University of California is a public university system in the state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University system...
, an animal research laboratory that was still under construction at the time. Also later that year, on November 29, there was another joint ALF & ELF claim, this time releasing 500 wild horses and torching the Bureau of Land Management in Burns, in protest of BLM's intention to round up the wild horses and process them for the sale of horsemeat.
However, this claim contradicts the Southern Poverty Law CenterThe Southern Poverty Law Center is an American non-profit legal organization, internationally known for its tolerance education programs, its legal victories against white supremacists and its tracking of organizations it calls hate groups....
, which states that the first incident of cooperation between the two movements was 6 months prior to these events on October 27, 1996, when the ALF & ELF were both responsible for firebombing a Forest ServiceThe United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass 193 million acres...
truck in Detroit, OregonDetroit is a city in Marion County, Oregon, United States. It was named for Detroit, Michigan in the 1890s because of the large number of people from Michigan in the community. The population was 262 at the 2000 census...
. Then three days later both groups claimed the arson at the U.S. Forest Service Oakridge Ranger Station, at the cost of $5.3 million.
It was then reported that a week before the Bay Area cells fur farm raid, on March 11, 1997, four trucks were torched, at the Agricultural Fur Breeders Co-Op. The damage totaled $1 million and the action was again claimed by the ALF & ELF.
As the ELF was becoming well established through its own actions, on 21 June 1998, the United States Forest ServiceThe United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass 193 million acres...
wildlife research centre near Olympia, WashingtonOlympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 42,514 at the 2000 census...
was set on fire with "Eco-Defense" and "Earth Liberation" spray painted on construction machinery, which had received extensive damage in New JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered on the north by New York, and to the east by the Hudson River, Upper New York Bay, the Kill Van Kull, Newark Bay, the Arthur Kill, Raritan Bay, Sandy Hook Bay, Westchester County, New York City, Long Island, and...
on the 2nd July. Both the actions were claimed jointly by the ALF & ELF, and were estimated to have caused one of the worst damages yet, estimated at $1.9 million. The same claim was made when 310 animals were taken from a fur farm involved in experimental research based in Madison, WisconsinMadison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
, which were stolen the day later.
Actions
- Timeline of Animal Liberation Front actions: 2000-2004
This is a time line of the Animal Liberation Front actions from 2000 to 2004.-Background:ALF formedTwo years after Ronnie Lee and Cliff Goodman had been charged for the raid on the Oxford Laboratory Animal Colonies in Bicester, UK, in 1974, as part of the Band of Mercy, the "Bicester Two" as they...
and 2005-PresentThis is a time line of Animal Liberation Front actions since 2005.-Background:ALF formedTwo years after Ronnie Lee and Cliff Goodman had been charged for the raid on the Oxford Laboratory Animal Colonies in Bicester in 1974, as part of the Band of Mercy, the "Bicester Two" as they were known; Lee...
Actions claimed by both the ALF and ELF jointly has appeared across the globe, nearly as much as the ELF has, causing more activists from the ALF and other movements to become involved; believing in "No Compromise in Defence of Mother Earth", a popular Earth First! slogan used and populated in the 1980s.
Despite this, in comparison to the ALF, there have been few communiques in recent years that have been released to the media or ELF Press Offices. This is largely due to the style of the ELF, whom are much less likely to report their actions, or even leave a message to notify their targets regarding why they have been attacked.
Although ALF and ELF combined actions have continued, one of the latest string of jointly claimed arsons was publicised was in November 2002, when activists sent a communique to
Bite BackBite Back is a Malaysia-registered website and magazine that promotes the cause of the animal liberation movement, and specifically the Animal Liberation Front...
and also the ELF Press Office, claiming responsibility for the arson at Mindek Brothers Fur Farm. In a press release, the groups stated the reason for their action:
In popular culture
- Folk musician David Rovics
David Rovics is an indie singer/songwriter and grassroots political protestor from the United States. His music is most accurately described as protest-folk and concerns topical subjects such as the 2003 Iraq war, anti-globalization and social justice issues. Rovics is an outspoken critic of not...
performs a song dedicated to the ELF called "Song for the Earth Liberation Front"
- In the 2004 novel by Michael Crichton
John Michael Crichton or Michael Crichton was an American author, producer, director, screenwriter, and medical school graduate, best known for his work in the science fiction, medical fiction, and thriller genres. His books have sold over 150 million copies worldwide, and many have been adapted...
, State of FearState of Fear is a 2004 techno-thriller novel by Michael Crichton concerning eco-terrorists who attempt mass murder to support their views. The novel had an initial print run of 1.5 million copies and reached the #1 bestseller position at Amazon.com and #2 on the New York Times Best Seller list for...
, a fictional group based on the Earth Liberation Front, but called the Environmental Liberation Front instead, is the main villain.
- In the novel by Nicholas Evans
Nicholas Evans is an English journalist, screenwriter TV/film producer and novelist. Evans was educated at Bromsgrove School but before studying at Oxford University, he served in Africa with the charity Voluntary Service Overseas . He then studied journalism and worked as a newspaper reporter and...
, The Divide, a main character is involved in ELF activities.
Criticism
- Further information: Eco-terrorism
Eco-terrorism is a controversial term applied to acts of violence or sabotage committed in support of ecological, environmental, or animal rights causes against persons or their property...
The FBI designated the ELF as "
eco-terroristsEco-terrorism is a controversial term applied to acts of violence or sabotage committed in support of ecological, environmental, or animal rights causes against persons or their property...
." Representative
Scott McInnisScott Steve McInnis is a Republican former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Colorado.McInnis is a Republican candidate for Governor of Colorado in the 2010 gubernatorial election.-Education and professional history:...
, then chairman of the US House Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health, subpoenaed Craig Rosebraugh in an effort to investigate the ELF's activities. On hearing Rosebraugh's testimony, McInnis suggested it was "luck" no one has been killed by an ELF (or ALF) attack.
Despite the leaderless nature of the movement, the FBI says that activist
Rod CoronadoRodney Adam Coronado is a Native American eco-anarchist and animal rights activist. He is an advocate and former activist for the Animal Liberation Front and a spokesperson for the Earth Liberation Front...
is "a national leader" of the ELF in the USA, while Coronado describes himself as an "unofficial ELF spokesman".
Referring to the Earth Liberation Front and the
Animal Liberation FrontThe Animal Liberation Front is a name used internationally by animal liberation activists who engage in direct action on behalf of animals. This includes removing animals from laboratories and fur farms and sabotaging various facilities...
, ATF Deputy Assistant Director Carson Carrol has said, "The most worrisome trend to law enforcement and private industry alike has been the increase in willingness by these movements to resort to the use of incendiary and explosive devices." In 2005, the FBI announced that the ELF, is America's greatest domestic terrorist threat, responsible for over 1,200 "criminal incidents" amounting to tens of millions of dollars in damage to property. The United States Department of Homeland Security confirmed that the Animal Liberation Front and Earth Liberation Front are the most serious threats to the nation.
It has also been claimed the ELF's actions harm the environment, a spokesman for the
Vail Ski ResortVail Resorts, Inc. runs four ski resorts in Colorado, as well as one in Lake Tahoe and a summer resort in Wyoming. They also own luxury resort hotels throughout the United States. The company trades on the New York Stock Exchange, symbol MTN...
, which the ELF fire bombed in 1998 in protest of a planned extension, explained, "more logs were used to rebuild the resort than were cut for the [original] expansion". In 2001 the ELF targeted the
University of WashingtonUniversity of Washington, founded in 1861, is a public research university in Seattle, Washington, United States. UW is the largest university in the northwestern United States and one of the oldest public universities on the west coast. The university has three campuses, with its flagship campus...
's Center for Urban Horticulture with the aim of disrupting research into
genetic engineeringGenetic engineering, recombinant DNA technology, genetic modification/manipulation and gene splicing are terms that apply to the direct manipulation of an organism's genes. Genetic engineering is different from traditional breeding, where the organism's genes are manipulated indirectly...
. However, the targeted researcher was investigating hybridization in
poplarPopulus is a genus of 25–35 species of deciduous flowering plants in the family Salicaceae, native to most of the Northern Hemisphere. English names variously applied to different species include poplar, aspen, and cottonwood....
trees, and the resulting fire killed a significant number of endangered plants.
ELF was also featured in commentator
Bernard GoldbergBernard Richard Goldberg , also known as Bernie Goldberg, is a ten-time Emmy Award Winning American writer, journalist, and political commentator...
's book
100 People Who Are Screwing Up America100 People Who Are Screwing Up America is a book by Bernard Goldberg that was published in 2005....
as #23, "The Unknown American Terrorist". They were listed and criticised for damaging property and acting like a terrorist group in the name of saving the environment.
Further reading
- Best, Steven
Steven Best is an American animal rights activist, author, talk-show host, and associate professor of philosophy at the University of Texas at El Paso...
and Nocella, Anthony J. Igniting a Revolution: Voices in Defense of the Earth, AK PressAK Press is a collectively owned and operated independent publisher and book distributor that specialises in radical and anarchist literature.-History:...
, 2006. ISBN 1-904859-56-9
- Leslie Pickering. Earth Liberation Front: 1997-2002, Arissa Media Group, 2006. ISBN 0-974288-40-3.
- Rosebraugh, Craig
Craig Rosebraugh is a writer and political activist who has been associated with the Earth Liberation Front and the Animal Liberation Front , and who has served as a spokesman for both groups' press offices.- Activism :...
. Burning Rage of a Dying Planet: Speaking for the Earth Liberation Front Lantern BooksLantern Books is an American book publisher since 1998, first located in Union Square , and now with offices in Brooklyn. It "publishes books for all wanting to live with greater spiritual depth and commitment to the preservation of the natural world." The subject areas that Lantern Books covers...
, 2004. ISBN 1-59056-064-7
See also
- Rewilding (anarchism)
Rewilding is the process of creating permanently wild human cultures beyond domestication. In green anarchism and anarcho-primitivism, humans are said to be "civilized" or "domesticated" by civilization. Supporters of such human rewilding argue that through the process of domestication, human...
- Anarcho-primitivism
Anarcho-primitivism is an anarchist critique of the origins and progress of civilization. According to anarcho-primitivism, the shift from hunter-gatherer to agricultural subsistence gave rise to social stratification, coercion, and alienation...
- Animal Liberation Front
The Animal Liberation Front is a name used internationally by animal liberation activists who engage in direct action on behalf of animals. This includes removing animals from laboratories and fur farms and sabotaging various facilities...
- Deep ecology
Deep ecology is a somewhat recent branch of ecological philosophy that considers humankind as an integral part of its environment. The philosophy emphasizes the equal value of human and non-human life as well as the importance of the ecosystem and natural processes...
- Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network
The Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network , also known as Spirit of Freedom, is a network to provide information on people imprisoned for direct action relating to campaigns on Environmental and other issues...
(ELPSN)
- Earth Liberation Front Press Office
The North American Earth Liberation Front Press Office is a legal, above-ground news service dedicated to publicizing the direct action of the Earth Liberation Front ....
- Ecopedagogy
The Ecopedagogy movement is an outgrowth of developments in critical pedagogy, a body of educational ideas and practices influenced by the philosopher, Paulo Freire...
- Green anarchism
Green anarchism is a school of thought within anarchism which puts an emphasis on environmental issues. An important early influence was the thought of the American individualist anarchist Henry David Thoreau and his book Walden. Some green anarchists can be described as anarcho-primitivists ,...
- Green syndicalism
Green syndicalism or Eco-syndicalism has been used as a name for the philosophy of the green guild or sustainable trades movement.- Background :...
- Operation Backfire (FBI)
Operation Backfire is a multi-agency criminal investigation, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation , into destructive acts in the name of animal rights and environmental causes in the United States regarded as eco-terrorism by the FBI....
- Resistance: Journal of the Earth Liberation Movement
Resistance: Journal of the Earth Liberation Movement is an environmentalist magazine that was created with the stated aim to "inform, inspire, and energize the earth liberation movement"...
External links