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>From The Electronic Telegraph - Saturday, November 29th, 1997 Foxhunting ban 'by year 2000' By George Jones and Joy Copley LABOUR MPs last night confidently predicted that fox hunting would be banned by 2000 after the Commons voted by a 260 majority in favour of the private member's Bill to outlaw hunting with dogs. Although the Bill is unlikely to succeed this session, Tony Blair indicated that the Government would allow another opportunity for a ban to become law within the next two years. The 411 to 151 vote for the second reading of the Wild Mammals (Hunting with Dogs) Bill was, supporters claimed, the biggest ever show of support for a private member's Bill. It was greeted by a resounding cheer and unparliamentary clapping from Labour MPs who had packed the Commons chamber. Outside the Commons, the Bill's sponsor, Mike Foster, Labour MP for Worcester, was applauded by anti-hunt campaigners. He claimed that it was a historic vote and the "barbaric" sport was now doomed. He vowed to make every effort to get the Bill through Parliament, saying: "We have clearly got the mandate of the British people and the House of Commons." Tory opponents of Mr Foster's Bill insisted that the votes against - which exceeded their original expectations - showed that there was still a significant minority in Parliament prepared to fight a ban. They predicted that a determined band of parliamentary opponents would be able to use delaying tactics to kill off the Bill in the spring. Although ministers reaffirmed that the Government would not provide extra time for the Bill to become law, the Prime Minister gave the strongest hint yet that the Government would act later if Mr Foster's attempt failed. Mr Blair was among 10 members of the Cabinet who did not vote yesterday. But in a message to MPs from Bosnia, where he was visiting British peacekeeping forces, he underlined his personal support for the Bill. He said if it was blocked the Government would not be to blame. It would be the fault of those MPs and peers who sought to "sabotage" the Bill. But he added: "We are keeping this matter open to review for the future." Ministerial aides later acknowledged that it would be impossible for the Government to ignore such an overwhelming show of support by MPs for a ban. One option under active consideration is for a backbencher to propose an anti-hunting amendment to a government criminal justice Bill, expected in the next session of Parliament. "It is our aim to have the ban in place by the millennium," a government source said. Yesterday was the most electrifying day in the Commons since the election, with arguments raging within the parties as well as across the floor of the chamber. But Mr Foster, elected for the first time in May, introduced his Bill with what many observers regarded as a lacklustre speech. He said the aim of the Bill was to protect wild mammals from "cruelty and from the unnecessary pain and suffering inflicted in the name of a so-called sport". It was a Conservative backbencher, Ann Widdecombe, the former Home Office minister, who delivered the most powerful speech in favour of the Bill. She challenged supporters of hunting to take a trip to Kenya, stand in a lion reserve unprotected and see if they enjoyed the hunt. "I might enjoy watching it," she said. At one point, the deputy Speaker, Michael Martin, rebuked new Labour MPs for clapping instead of saying "hear, hear" to express approval. Michael Heseltine, the former deputy Prime Minister, led the defence of hunting and claimed that the Bill was merely part of an agenda "which will move relentlessly through fishing and shooting and angling". He condemned the Bill as representing a "streak of intolerance", which would not save the life of a single animal and would have a damaging effect on rural communities. Two Labour MPs, Kate Hoey (Vauxhall) and Llin Golding (Newcastle-under-Lyme) voted against the Bill. Miss Hoey said it was a bad and intolerant Bill and challenged Mr Foster on what her response should be to a young girl whose two guinea-pigs were killed less than a mile from Westminster by a fox. George Howarth, junior Home Office minister, received a rough ride when he condemned fox hunting as "repugnant and unacceptable" while defending the Government's decision not to provide extra time for the Bill. Challenged repeatedly on whether the Government would intervene if the Bill was threatened, he sidestepped the issue, saying it was a "hypothetical question". He insisted that as long as pro-hunting MPs did not indulge in delaying tactics, there was no reason why the Bill should not complete all its stages. But after Dominic Grieve, the Conservative MP for Beaconsfield, warned that he would use every possible device to hold it up, Mr Howarth claimed that the Tories would reach new depths of unpopularity if they tried to thwart the will of the people and Parliament. Before the vote, William Hague, the Conservative leader, shook hand with pro-hunt campaigners who had staged a vigil outside Westminster. Eight Conservative MPs, including Miss Widdecombe and Sir Teddy Taylor, the leading Euro-sceptic, voted for Mr Foster's Bill. Another 26 Tory MPs did not vote, including John Major and Edward Heath. Alan Clark, MP for Kensington and Chelsea and a noted campaigner for animal rights, abstained. The most notable absentees on the Labour side were Cabinet ministers.These included Robin Cook, the Foreign Secretary, who was visiting Poland, Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, and John Prescott, the deputy Prime Minister. Paddy Ashdown, the Liberal Democrat leader, did not vote. But 14 of his MPs opposed the Bill. Ministers later justified the decision not to provide time for Mr Foster's Bill on the grounds that if it became bogged down in the House of Lords, it would threaten to wreck the Government's legislative programme of 25 major Bills. ⌐ Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997. SAY NO TO APEC Date: Fri, 28 Nov 1997 21:20:35 From: David J Knowles <dknowles@dowco.com> To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: [UK] Path to a ban is still littered with parliamentary hurdles Message-ID: <3.0.3.16.19971128212035.0a5f9418@dowco.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit >From The Electronic Telegraph - Saturday, November 29th, 1997 Path to a ban is still littered with parliamentary hurdles By Charles Clover, Environment Editor HOURS before Mike Foster's Bill gained its 260-vote majority yesterday, John Bryant, formerly of the League Against Cruel Sports and now adviser to Mr Foster, was predicting that hunting would be banned in time for the 1999 season. For that to happen, events would have to play like this: Mr Foster's Bill would go into its committee stage, some time just before or just after Christmas. If was not killed off there - death by a hundred amendments - it would be expected to be talked out at Report stage, certainly by the end of March. The Government would prefer that it was seen to be killed off by Tory tactics, rather than the Government's refusal to grant it time. Enter, possibly as soon as two weeks from now, a new Bill to amend the criminal justice system, one of the Government's flagship pieces of legislation. In the past, Home Office Bills have been known as Christmas tree Bills, because people have managed to hang all sorts of unforeseen amendments on them. If the title of the next Home Office Bill, expected to be called the Crime and Disorder Bill, is loosely drawn, the Foster Bill could reappear within months as an amendment to it. More likely for amendment is a new Criminal Justice Bill, expected next year. Assuming that the Government allowed a free vote on the matter and an amendment banning hunting won a sizeable majority in the Commons, it would still need to get through the unreformed House of Lords. Hereditary peers about to lose their voting rights might see this as an issue on which to make a last stand. Mr Bryant's prediction of a hunting ban by 1999 could still become reality if anti-hunting MPs got a Bill to amend this year and Government chose to invoke the Parliament Act of 1911, passed by Lloyd George to get his tax reforms through the Lords, which would mean the Act would have to be passed within a year. ⌐ Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997. SAY NO TO APEC Date: Fri, 28 Nov 1997 21:39:47 From: David J Knowles <dknowles@dowco.com> To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: [UK] Manchester Disunited Message-ID: <3.0.3.16.19971128213947.0b2f4706@dowco.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit >From The Electronic Telegraph - Saturday, November 29th, 1997 Manchester Disunited Even its fans say that the world's richest football club has scored a spectacular environmental own goal. Stephen Kingston reports IT is a normal day at the Cliff, Manchester United's training ground in deepest Salford. Beneath the bullet-grey clouds, the most glamorous players in Europe are filing out in cars that cost more than the average salary of the drizzle-soaked mums and dads who have waited hours with their children to meet their heroes. Some players sign an autograph or two from rolled-down windows. Others drive straight through. Then the strangest thing happens. At the gates an 8ft-tall badger appears brandishing a placard saying "M U F C - Most Unfair For Creatures". It badgers, as it were, England striker Teddy Sheringham, seated signing photographs in the safety of his Ferrari. What does he think of United building its new training ground on green-belt land? "As long as it's nearer my house I don't care," he decides. Politely. Next out is Ryan Giggs. Does he agree with evicting furry creatures to further United's corporate ambitions? "Don't know anything about it," he mutters, taking a leaflet imploring him not to put the boot in - to Carrington Moss. Goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel - a veteran of Manchester city council's "green campaign" - panics and almost runs the protesting critter over in an attempt to escape the sort of ear-bashing he usually dishes out to his defenders. Striker Andy Cole agrees to give it some thought . . .Here is what many consider to be the most powerful team in the world getting seriously worried by a great big fluffy badger. In the publicity battle, it is the newly formed no-hopers Carrington United 1, Manchester United 0. Campaigners have taken the eco-game to the richest club in football after the Department of the Environment recently decided not to "call in" for a public inquiry the development of 110 acres of land in the Trafford borough of Manchester. The area that United wants to turn into a multi-million-pound luxury training complex - including 15 football pitches, car parks, running tracks, accommodation and indoor facilities - is at present grade two agricultural land on Carrington Moss. The Moss is wide-open land, which, if dropped into the Vale of Evesham, would be pretty unspectacular, with its muddy ploughed soil, hedgerows and bare trees. But placed in the middle of Carrington's huge housing and industrial estates, it becomes almost an Eden of fresh air and foraging birds away from the choking traffic of the nearby A56 and the rusty, steel skyline of Shell plants and pylons. The land has been farmed by the Litherland family for more than 100 years and now produces top-quality carrots, potatoes and cereals for local shops, and supermarkets all over Britain and Europe. The Litherlands thought their farm would be protected under Trafford council's Unitary Development Plan, which states, among other things, that "the council will seek to ensure that viable farm holdings are not severed or fragmented by non-agricultural development". The family also believed that their land would be safeguarded under the Regional Planning Guidelines for the North-West, which declare that "pressure to increase the intensity of development . . . should not be at the expense of . . . protected open land, including green belt and high-quality agricultural land" (paragraph 3.4). They thought wrong. Trafford council's planning committee gave outline planning permission to United's proposals, squeezing the development through a loophole that allows for "recreational activities". The loophole was kept ajar with promises by the club to limit the environmental impact. "When we were first told, we were devastated - you think it just can't be real," says Mark Litherland, who, with Kevin, his United-supporting brother, has invested heavily in equipment to bring the farm up to top standards. "They've kicked the legs from under us. We're just a small farming family, but they are two of the biggest companies in the country." The two companies in question are the eco-warriors' bΩte noire, Shell UK, which owns the land, and Manchester United plc, which wants to purchase this patch rather than alternative, more environmentally friendly sites. Ironically, the club favours Carrington particularly because of its beautiful rural landscape and isolated position. Harold Bardsley, Shell's regional external affairs manager, argues that United has fulfilled all the criteria for developing green-belt land. "A lot of the concerns raised by the people who are against it have been answered by work carried out by Manchester United - particularly on the environmental impact," he says. Unfortunately, not one of the groups protesting about the proposed development - ranging from the Council for the Protection of Rural England to Tory and Liberal Democrat councillors to Earth First - seem ecstatic with the plans. Indeed, they are up in arms."No comment," replies Bardsley. Two of those who are not happy are Judith Smith, the Greater Manchester County Bird Recorder, and Margaret McCormick of the Cheshire Wildlife Trust. "It's definitely going to lead to a decline in the number of birds and species that are at present breeding on the site," says Smith. "There's no doubt about that. Some are on the red and amber list. Included on these endangered lists are the rapidly decreasing grey partridge, here breeding naturally on Carrington Moss, together with yellow wagtails, corn buntings, lapwings, skylarks, linnets and many other statutory protected species. "It's an environmental disaster," says McCormick, who is a voluntary reserve manager on the Moss. "It's not just about farmers losing their living and us not being able to go around with our binoculars and bobble hats looking at birds. It's about the whole environment. "Manchester United has said it's going to plant trees but the birds we're concerned about are those that feed in flat agricultural land and moorland. And it says it's going to build a bank to protect the wood, but floodlighting, shouting and vehicles coming and going isn't conducive to wildlife. "It guts me. They've just done a scanty survey and bulldozed it through. It's about money, power and council influence." Everyone who opposes the plan has smelled, if not a rat, then a nasty Red Devil scurrying in the undergrowth of the proceedings, particularly when the controversial scheme was not called for a public inquiry. "When I first heard that it wasn't going to be called in, I thought I was being wound up," says Trafford councillor Philip Gratrix, who moved the original motion to allow United outline planning permission. "I moved it on the basis that groups would have an input at the public inquiry. My son's a red-hot United supporter and he said the only reason it hasn't been called in was that it was Manchester United." Keith Reynolds, a spokesman for Friends of the Earth who organised the "badger revolt", also blames glamour blindness. "People have fought to preserve these green spaces and then United comes along with a great deal of money and a huge image and Trafford council caves in," he says. "It's almost as if the councillors have been hypnotised by this great big football club. There's no dissent from most of them. All they're saying is: 'Wouldn't it be prestigious to have Manchester United training in our area and to hell with the locals and their environment and to hell with the family who have farmed the land productively.' It's insane." Now United is putting together its final plans, which will then go back to the council for legal approval. "We can't pin anyone down about this," says Mark Litherland. "The council says: 'It's not us, it's Shell.' United says: 'It's not us, it's Shell.' Shell says: 'It's United and the council.' The council says: 'It's the Government.' But the Government passes it back to the council . .. It just goes round and round. Nobody will hold up their hands and say: 'We're doing this, we're going to sink this family.' " Meanwhile, keeping very quiet and incredibly elusive in all this, are the powers that be at Manchester United, anxious perhaps that their glamour image could be tarnished by the tag of "English eco-hooligans" should the campaign gather momentum. Hordes of fans are teenage girls with posters of cute fox cubs and badgers hanging on their walls beside doe-eyed photos of David Beckham and Giggs. Any bad publicity could seriously affect the merchandising that has allowed the publicly floated company to report a record ú27.6 million profit this year. No one at the club would comment this week. But protesters hope that by alerting United's globally based green fans to the plans they can eventually embarrass the club into backtracking. They have already produced shirts showing a bloodthirsty red devil pondering its money-bags and rampaging through the countryside frightening birds and beasts and butterflies. Definitely not good for the image. Last week, Newcastle United finally gave up its quest for a new stadium on moorland in the face of a 37,000-name petition, 50,000 leaflets and more than 1,000 letters of protest. The Carrington campaigners are now drawing strength from that victory. "I've been a United supporter since I was seven, so this isn't some stupid argument about environmentalists versus football," says Charles Secrett, the director of Friends of the Earth. "We're not anti-football, we just think that a big corporation has come up with a stupid development proposal that might meet its own interests but goes against the interests of the community and breaks planning guidelines that are there to protect the green belt." So the 8ft badger and his pals will no doubt be harassing that corporation in the weeks to come. While United might be scaring the living daylights out of Juventus et al in the European Champions' League, at home, Carrington United, the no-hopers with scant resources, are lying in wait to trip up the club. For them, this new training ground is one giant own goal. ⌐ Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997. Notes: 1) Soccer is known as football in the UK 2) The team nickname for Manchester United is "The Red Devils" SAY NO TO APEC Date: Fri, 28 Nov 1997 21:41:44 From: David J Knowles <dknowles@dowco.com> To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: [UK] Wilde about that dog - he's so extreme Message-ID: <3.0.3.16.19971128214144.0b2fab00@dowco.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit >From The Electronic Telegraph - Saturday, November 29th, 1997 Wilde about that dog - he's so extreme PERCY George Titus, an 11-year-old black and tan terrier, is currently working with the artist Maggi Hambling on her monument to Oscar Wilde. "Percy has quite an effect on the way I work," she says. "Having an awareness of the state of being alive every moment while you are working is the only way the thing you're working on can have any life in it . . ." She finds Percy's attitude to life inspiring. "His life of extremes is an example. He is either sound asleep or intensively active, when he's charging after a new lady - or occasionally a new gentleman - for instance." As a puppy, Percy chose her, rather than she him. "There were various boxes containing rescued puppies and Percy was in one with his brother. Every time he was replaced in the box he leapt out again and sat on my feet. He has been in command ever since." Maggi is a passionate opponent of docking. "When he's charging along with his tail as a banner, you feel all's right with the world. I think Percy is extremely distinguished. No dog has better natural make-up." Percy sleeps in, rather than just on, the bed. "He goes right down to the bottom. I can't think why he doesn't suffocate, but I imagine that, as a terrier, he was bred to go down rabbit holes." 'Percy Jumping, 1986' can be seen in the Blue Cross 'Animals in Art' exhibition at the Harris Museum and Art Gallery, Preston, until December 6. Maggi Hambling's exhibition, 'A Conversation with Oscar Wilde', is at the Hugh Lane Gallery of Modern Art, Dublin, until December 17. ⌐ Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997. SAY NO TO APEC Date: Fri, 28 Nov 1997 22:22:27 -0800 (PST) From: civillib@cwnet.com To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: UPDATED COUNT FFF ARRESTS (US) Message-ID: <199711290622.WAA16669@smtp.cwnet.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" For Immediate Release November 28, 1997 (10 p.m. PST) 69 ARRESTED IN MILITANT ACTIONS AGAINST FUR IN U.S. As of late Friday night, there appears to be AT LEAST 69 arrests as of result of anti-fur protests by a coalition of grassroots activists throughout the U.S. CNN also reported 22 arrests in NYC. If added to the total, it would make it AT LEAST 91 arrests. Media coverage locally was reported as massive in cities where there were arrests, and in cities were there were none. National coverage included NPR, CNN (all day), AP Radio, AP, Reuters and any number of regional publications. Most of the activists arrested remain in jail Friday night, some on misdemeanors and some on felonies, including those in Beverly Hills, San Francisco,Minneapolis. The totals are Minneapolis (18), Garden City NY (13), San Francisco (11), Dallas (10), Beverly Hills (8), Albany (4), Eatontown, NJ (2), Atlanta (2), Boston (1). One protestor remains aloft the crane at Macy's in San Francisco -- the others came down and were charged with felony conspiracy late Friday night. -30- Date: Sat, 29 Nov 1997 07:25:45 -0500 From: allen schubert <alathome@clark.net> To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: (US) Battle Grows Over Where the Yellowstone Buffalo Roam Message-ID: <3.0.32.19971129072542.0071adb4@pop3.clark.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit from Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Battle Grows Over Where the Yellowstone Buffalo Roam Activists Try to Halt Montana's Slaughter of Diseased Bison Despite Danger to Livestock By Mark Matthews Special to The Washington Post Saturday, November 29, 1997; Page A16 The Washington Post WEST YELLOWSTONE, Mont.ùThe young men and women quietly trudge through the snowy woods just beyond the western boundary of Yellowstone National Park, shadowing bison that have wandered outside the park. Last year more than 1,100 bison were killed by Montana Department of Livestock officials after they left the park, either being trapped and shipped to slaughter or shot. The bison carry brucellosis, a disease that can be transmitted to cattle. The activists, who call themselves Buffalo Nation, intend to disrupt any slaughter this year with civil disobedience. "We have got people here who are willing to step in front of the guns," said Jeremy Lynch, a member of the Lakota Sioux tribe from Rapid City, S.D. "This is the last wild bison herd in the United States, and we want to keep them wild." They aren't the only ones. The Montana Wildlife Federation recently submitted a plan to state and federal officials that would allow the bison to roam out of the park like any other species of wildlife, then be managed with a licensed hunt. "We want to insure that any management plan treats the bison as wildlife," said the federation's Jim Richard. Federal and state officials who have been working on a draft environmental study due out this January seem to be leaning toward managing the bison as livestock. A copy of their preferred alternative so far, obtained by the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, shows herd levels would be maintained at 1,800 to 2,500, mostly by trapping excess animals in corrals. Those with brucellosis would be slaughtered, while uninfected animals would be put in quarantine and later given to Indian tribes or sent off to other public herds. As the herd dropped to the 1,800 level, only bison that tested positive would be sent to slaughter. Others would be marked and released back into the park. Officials are also discussing plans to vaccinate the herd against brucellosis. Richard contends there will be too much handling of the animals. "It would be easier to manage cattle that aren't even on that range in winter," Richard said. "We've got to let the bison have some room to roam outside the park." There is a chance to give the bison more breathing space at the park's northern entrance near Gardiner, Mont., said Jeanne-Marie Souvigney, head of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. The Church Universal and Triumphant is willing to trade 6,000 acres of private land that borders the park for 1,000 Forest Service acres. Church officials say they will also put 1,850 neighboring acres into conservation easements dedicated to wildlife. "We hate to see the bison hunted," said spokeswoman Christina Sarlo. "It's horrible for us." The land swap would fill in holdings amidst church property, making it more valuable, Sarlo said. The Yellowstone Coalition is also negotiating with local ranchers to give up some grazing leases on National Forest land that abuts the park. "This area is important wildlife habitat," Souvigney said. "It is also home to elk, deer, pronghorn antelope and bighorn sheep." As it stands, government officials are ready to trap or shoot again this winter. However, one proposed plan may cut down on the number of wandering animals if another brutal winter forces them to lower elevations. That proposal, the preferred alternative of a draft Environmental Assessment on the effects of winter use of the park, would restrict snowmobile use on a 14-mile stretch of trail in the park's interior. Some biologists contend that grooming snowmobile trails makes it easier for the bison to migrate out of the park. Plus, the easy movement that the winter trails provide has also allowed more bison to survive rough winters, leading to overpopulation of the herds. Last winter, about 114,000 people zoomed around the park on snowmobiles. The sport is a multimillion-dollar industry for gateway towns like West Yellowstone. Park officials estimate the trail closure could cost neighboring towns from $107,000 to $3.5 million. Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) reacted to the threat against the tourism industry by submitting a bill to the Senate that would require the National Park Service to allow snowmobiling in the park and extend the winter season at Yellowstone. But in West Yellowstone, despite some early panic over erroneous reports that the entire park would be closed this winter, business owners seemed to be keeping an open mind. "I believe the best decision will be made," said Viki Eggers, director of the local Chamber of Commerce. "I'm optimistic because the draft EA states that they don't know yet how winter use affects the bison. I just don't want to see any closure of the park without the science to back it up." Local merchants are caught in the middle. They don't want to lose business, but they want the killing stopped. The ongoing slaughter has emotionally affected many of them. Two winters ago, gift shop owner Vickie Dyar, was stopped at a roadblock as sharpshooters leaned their guns across the hoods of vehicles to aim at bison that struggled through the snow. "If there wasn't anybody there to skin them and save the meat, they just dragged them off to the dump," she said. "It was pretty horrifying." Last winter, when a wayward bison sought refuge in a small barn on her property about nine miles outside the park, Dyar never thought of calling the authorities. Instead, she fed the animal for two months until the snow melted and it left on its own. Dyar says she wasn't the only member of the buffalo underground. "You'd see little clusters of bison in the areas where people threw out hay," she said. This winter, the buffalo underground could expand even more as Buffalo Nation organizers expect more human shields to arrive as winter progresses. "People are coming here from across the country," co-founder Michael Mease said. "Some will stay for a week. Some for a month. We're just starting to build our numbers." As of this week, about eight bull bison had left the park's sanctuary. So far, Department of Livestock officials have left them alone. On the day officials came to inspect the bison, the activists confronted them. After taking photographs, the officials left without accosting the bison. Date: Sat, 29 Nov 1997 07:35:07 -0500 From: allen schubert <alathome@clark.net> To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: (US) MN- Anti-fur Protesters Step Up Tactics Message-ID: <3.0.32.19971129073504.0071b6d8@pop3.clark.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" from Associated Press http://wire.ap.org/ ---------------------------------------- 11/29/1997 05:22 EST Anti-fur Protesters Step Up Tactics MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Anti-fur activists locked themselves to awnings, bound themselves together and even manned a construction crane as part of their annual ``Fur Free Friday'' protest at stores across the country. The protest is staged every November on the day after Thanksgiving, but this year's marks a change -- it's no longer a one-day event. Activists promised a month's worth of protests lasting through the holiday season and said at least one, the crane occupation, could continue for days. At least 62 protesters were arrested Friday at demonstrations in San Francisco, Dallas, Minneapolis, Albany and Garden City, N.Y., Eatontown, N.J., Atlanta and Beverly Hills, according to the Animal Rights Direct Action Coalition. Police arrested 18 activists in Minneapolis on Friday following protests at the Nieman Marcus store downtown. Three people had chained themselves to an awning, and six others locked themselves together inside. ``I feel sorry for my fellow activists, who went through so much pain at the hands of police,'' said Dave Rolsky, a protester at a Nieman Marcus in Minneapolis. ``But I feel even sorrier for the millions of animals tortured to death at the hands of furriers who care for nothing more than money.'' In San Francisco, five protesters climbed a crane at a Macy's construction site on Union Square at 5 a.m. Friday and unfurled a banner saying ``Fur Is Murder.'' They planned to stay until at least one of two demands were met: That the city outlaws selling fur or that Macy's stop selling it on its own. ``We're trying to let people know that it's unacceptable killing animals for clothes,'' protester Nicole Brodsky, 25, said. On Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, seven protesters who linked arms inside metal pipes to blockade the Fendi store were separated by bolt cutters and arrested. One Neiman Marcus spokeswoman said the annual protest is annoying. ``We deal with this every year,'' said Cynthia Coleman. ``The customers get angry at the protesters. They don't get angry at the store.'' Date: Sat, 29 Nov 1997 10:49:34 EST From: JanaWilson <JanaWilson@aol.com> To: AR-news@envirolink.org Subject: (US) HSUS Response to Oklahoma City Editorial Message-ID: <799847b5.34803990@aol.com> Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit This HSUS letter was in today's letter to the editor section of the local Okla. City news. This is a rare event for this paper to allow a formal rebuttal to its series of anti-AR editorials: Group Record Distorted TO THE EDITOR: We expect our political adversaries-- trophy hunters, the fur industry, puppy mill operators and others--to distort our record, or even resort to outright lies, to perpetuate the status quo. But we do not expect credible newspapers like (this newspaper), even if they disagree with us, to publish editorials that include unfounded and blatantly inaccurate statements ("Metamorphosis," Nov.4). In attempting to argue that HSUS has metamorphosed into an extreme group since the 1980s--even tho we have had the same two leaders since the 1970s--(this newspaper) seems to have regurgitated the pap advanced by some extreme animal industry groups. (This newspaper) inaccurately argued, among other things, that the HSUS's agenda includes "prohibiting the use of animals for research" and "elimination of dog breeding." The latter point is perfectly ludicrous. The HSUS cherishes the bond between people and their pets, and always has. We encourage pet ownership, as beneficial to both people and animals. We abhor inhumane and excessive breeding, characterized by puppy mills and campaign strenuously against the tragedy of pet overpopulation. On the matter of animal research, we have never staked out an abolitionist position. Rather, since the 1950s, we have pushed for the three Rs--reduction in the no of animals used in science, replacement of animals with non-animal models and refinement of techniques to eliminate pain and suffering. (This newspaper) also stated that the HSUS wishes to stop "the hunting of seals and whales" and the "raising of fur-bearing animals." On these points, the paper is generally on the mark. We unabashedly oppose commerical sealing and whaling, and have been leaders in the fight to halt the slaughter of marine animals. Similarly, the HSUS opposes the wearing of fur in our culture. In its editorial, (this newspaper) parrots the oft-repeated claim by our political opponents, who wish we would cease our challenges to their institutionalized abuses of animals, that the HSUS does not operate animal shelters. The HSUS never claimed to operate shelters, although many of our members of our staff formerly ran shelters or worked in them. There are more than 6,000 shelters and humane societies in the US, and these critically important community institutions need support and assistance. The HSUS trains thousands of shelter workers a year, conducts on-site evaluations of facilities, writes and publishes an award-winning magazine that brings valuable information to them, and holds an animal exposition for shelter staff that draws thousands. The HSUS aids the local shelters most effectively by providing these services, rather than directly operating facilities. (This newspaper) claims to support animal welfare. We hope then, that the newspaper joins with the HSUS as it works with our members and others to ban the blood sport of cockfighting in Oklahoma, one of just 5 states in the country that still permits this practice. (Signed) Paul G. Irwin, President, HSUS For the animals, Jana, OKC Date: Sat, 29 Nov 1997 11:15:08 -0500 (EST) From: JanaWilson@aol.com To: Ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: (US) Oklahoma City Horse Racing Accident Message-ID: <971129111507_1483790735@mrin38> A/w with local OKC news: Jockey Jo Hayes remained in critical, but stable condition late Friday at a local OKC hospital following a spill earlier in the day during the first race at OKC's Remington Park. The accident occurred when Hopefully a Winner, ridden by Bob Williams, broke a leg and fell as the field reached the middle of the far turn. Hayes was unseated when her mount, Slewsational, jumped the fallen horse and Williams. Hayes, who is lives in Okla., suffered facial lacerations and multiple fractures. The exact fractures were not made public. Friday marked her 39th birthday. Williams suffered a fractured clavicle and was treated and released from a metro area hospital. Hopefully a Winner was euthanized and the other horse escaped serious injury and was returned to her barn. According to local TV news, the video of the accident is not being released. For the Animals, Jana, OKC Date: Sat, 29 Nov 1997 11:17:40 -0500 From: Constance Young <conncat@idsi.net> To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: Pine Plains pigeon shoot protest Message-ID: <34804024.52@idsi.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Some of you have asked that I post a report of our protest Friday outside Indian Mountain Lodge, which holds monthly pigeon shoots and was to hold a "huge" one on Friday. Here it is: About 30 protestors from three organizations showed up around 8:30 AM outside Indian Mountain shooting preserve on route 199 in Pine Plains. One plucky gal actually drove her car up the driveway and asked what time the shoot was to start. She was asked to "get off the property." We stood vigil on the County Road outside the hunting lodge (where all kinds of other canned hunts are held every day of the week.) Ann Muller was there with a group from CASH (Committe to Abolish Sports Hunting) and a group from the new local AR group AWARE (Alliance to Work for Animal Rights and the Environment), which was formerly headed by Gloria Stephenson in New York City, joined the protest. The protest was organized by Mid-Hudson Preservation Alliance, Inc. a Dutchess County organization working to protect the area from assaults against the environment. They have been protesting these shoots for two years. We have made progress, though. The local papers have run many editorials against the shoots, hunters regularly join our protests, and both candidates for Town Supervisor office expressed outrage against the pigeon shoots (but have stopped short of doing anything about them). The Poughkeepsie Journal was there and had a nice article today, and other local papers covered the protest. We also were told that there were people with power and who are on our side (can't tell you more) who were there undercover. We shall see. What you can do to help; please write to The Town Board, Town Hall, Route 199, Pine Plains, New York 12567 and tell them what you think about pigeon shoots. It embarasses them and maybe enough protest will get them to do something (pass an ordinance against pigeon shoots; introduce zoning in the town <we have none>), or do some gentle arm twisting of the owner of the lodge, Lee Gray. We will perservere, and we will win!!! Constance Young Date: Sat, 29 Nov 1997 15:15:08 -0500 (EST) From: BSVILA@aol.com To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: Re: FFF ARRESTS: NOW 63 TOTAL Message-ID: <971129151507_1282811734@mrin54.mail.aol.com> You can add one more arrest to this total. In Birmingham, Michigan, our Fur Free Saturday protest resulted in one arrest. Fortunately, that arrest was of a person (possibly a Putting People First affiliate) leaving a furrier and intentionally spilling a glass of pop all over the protesters. He just happened to do it right in front of a cop, who didn't take too kindly to his supposed klutzyness. Cheers went up when the fur supporter was handcuffed and hauled off to jail. God, it's great to see it happen to the other side. Cheers! Pat Dodson Date: Sat, 29 Nov 1997 19:05:02 -0500 (EST) From: NOVENAANN@aol.com To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: Season For Fur Rallies, Protests (NY) Message-ID: <971129190501_1272954578@mrin83.mail.aol.com> Season For Fur Rallies, Protests Each side brings its message about the fur industry to Christmas-season shoppers. Published Nov. 29, 1997, in The Post-Standard. By KARL TURNER And JEFF STAGE About a dozen animal rights activists protested peacefully and silently in front of Georgios Furs late Friday afternoon, shortly after more than 40 hunters and trappers rallied at the same site. A confrontation between the two groups seemed possible early on as hunting enthusiasts launched their preemptive protest at noon, hours before the animal rights activists were scheduled to arrive. Several of the hunters and trappers wore fur coats and fur hats to the rally outside the store at 358 S. Salina St. The animal rights activists, mostly members of the Animal Defense League, avoided a confrontation with the hunters, however, by holding a short protest 30 minutes after the hunters finished. The Animal Defense League has held protests at Georgios on the day after Thanksgiving for several years, in conjunction with the start of the holiday shopping season. Past protests have been marked by clashes with police and hunters and trappers. Members of the Animal Defense League carried signs decrying the fur industry. A planned mock funeral for the animals killed in the fur trade was cancelled because of problems getting the casket to the site of the protest, members said. Destructive industry "Fur trading is the most destructive industry in the western hemisphere," said Bryan Pease, a sophomore at Cornell University and a member of the Animal Defense League. "From its beginnings, it led to the destruction and eradication of indigenous cultures." Groups of hunters and trappers decided to hold their own rally last year at Georgios, and they held another this year. Members of the Independent Fur Harvesters of Central New York, Cortland County Trappers Association and the Onondaga County Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs carried signs that that read "America Founded on Fur," "Trapping: An American Heritage," "Fur-Ever" and "Take a Kid Hunting." Al LaFrance, president of the 110-member Independent Fur Harvesters, said his group was protesting to protect their rights to hunt, trap and fish. He said they want to protect industries such as farming and scientific research. "This is not just a sportsmen's issue," said LaFrance, a professional trapper who sported a beaver fur coat for the occasion. Trappers targeted LaFrance said animal-rights protesters target trappers because they are the smallest group and easily portrayed as "villains." LaFrance said hunting, trapping and fishing are all closely regulated by enforcement organizations, such as the state Department of Conservation. Most trappers are kept busy primarily by nuisance calls, usually removing wanted or pesky animals like skunks and beavers, he said. "New York has a big beaver population," said LaFrance, who noted that beavers build dams that cause floods. "One of the main reasons is because there are so few people doing any trapping anymore." Other members of the pro-fur group came out to support George Politis, the embattled owner of Georgios Furs. "I'm here to support Georgios," said Dorothy Chambers of Parish. "This is a legal business. There's no reason he cannot conduct his work." In Skaneateles In Skaneateles Friday, between 25 and 30 area fur trappers held a protest from noon to 3 p.m. at the Fur Exchange. Ed Hogan, regional director for the New York State Trappers Association, said his organization and representatives from the River Bend Trappers, Oswego County Trappers and the Independent Fur Harvesters of Central New York had their own message. "It was a pro-fur rally to encourage people to consider fur coats and fur hats as Christmas gifts," Hogan said. "The trappers in Central New York have been very active in trying to educate the public that this is a renewable resource." In April, the Fur Exchange was the target of vandals during a wave of animal-rights protests in the area. Joel Capolongo of Clay pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge in the incident and was sentenced to perform 300 hours of community service. Staff writer John Grau contributed to this report. Date: Sat, 29 Nov 1997 16:07:43 -0800 (PST) From: civillib@cwnet.com To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: HUNGER, THIRST STRIKES BY FFF PROTESTORS (US) Message-ID: <199711300007.QAA23849@smtp.cwnet.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit URGENT NEWS ADVISORY November 29, 1997 Contact: Activist Civil Liberties Committee (916) 452-7179 L.A. ANTI-FUR ACTIVISTS STAGE HUNGER STRIKE; BAIL $50,000 BEVERLY HILLS û Six anti-fur demonstrators -- including two medical doctors -- arrested Friday after blocking the doors in a sit-in at a Rodeo Drive furrier are refusing to eat, and some are refusing to drink any liquids, while incarcerated. In all, 34 activists in San Francisco, Beverly Hills, Minneapolis, Long Island, Atlanta and Eatonville, NJ are in jail and on hunger strikes as a result of "Fur Free Friday" protests. Dr. Rich McLellan and Dr. Jerry Vlasak, both of Los Angeles, have decided to go without water, in addition to hunger strike. They could suffer severe kidney damage, and die with 48-72 hours if they continue. The "Beverly Hills Six" decided to hunger and thirst strike after Beverly Hills police charged them with a felony for participating in the nonviolent protest at Fendi Furs on Rodeo Drive Friday. Bail has been set at $50,000. "The charge is absurd, as is the bail. They are peaceful, harmed no one and are all respectable members of the community. They are just opposed to the killing of animals for fur," said Crescenzo Vellucci, executive director of the Activist Civil Liberties Committee, a Sacramento-based criminal defense organization. Most demonstrators are released with a promise to appear, and no bail. "This is dangerous, but they believe their mistreatment is unconstitutional and extreme, and have taken this step as part of a political statement," added Vellucci. At least 91 anti-fur protestors were arrested on "Fur Free Friday" across the U.S., including: New York City (22), Minneapolis (17), Garden City NY (13), San Francisco (12), Dallas (10), Beverly Hills (8), Albany (4), Eatonville, NJ (2), Atlanta (2), Boston (1). There were demonstrations in about 100 U.S. cities against the sale of fur. Protestors are opposed to the killing, by neck-breaking, anal-electrocution and suffocation, of 40 million animals a year to make fur garments. -30- activists civil liberties committee PO Box 19515, Sacramento, CA 95819 (916) 452-7179 Fax: (916) 454-6150 Date: Sat, 29 Nov 1997 20:11:42 -0500 From: "Leslie Lindemann" <LDTBS@worldnet.att.net> To: "AR-news postings" <ar-news@envirolink.org> Subject: Gateway2000 selling lambskin jackets Message-ID: <19971130011112.AAA6629@oemcomputer> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I received a Gateway2000 catalogue today, and was very angry to see a "cow-spotted", lambskin jacket for sale among all their other "cow-spot" junk. Their website is http://www.spotshop.com. I didn't see the jacket on the website, but it is in the mail-order catalogue. Please take a minute to go the the website, email them, and tell them you'd like to be able to buy a computer without supporting a company that sells chopped up animals. 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