AETA 4

Animal Rights Activists Indicted as “Terrorists” For Home Protests

When four animal rights activists were arrested under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, it was unclear how prosecutors would proceed, and what specific accusations the activists would face. Now, the government indictment, available here for the first time, makes it strikingly clear that prosecutors intend to use terrorism laws to target First Amendment activity.

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Portland Benefit for the AETA 4, Activists Facing “Animal Enterprise Terrorism” Charges

I’m heading off in a few weeks for a mini speaking tour on the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act and the Green Scare (I’ll post the details for other events as they’re finalized). I’ll be in Portland, Oregon to speak at a benefit for the AETA 4, activists facing “animal enterprise terrorism” charges for allegedly chalking [...]

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Dear Congress: You Lied to Me About the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act

March 4, 2009 Dear Member of Congress: When I testified before the House Judiciary Committee about the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act in 2006, I argued that such sweeping legislation risks criminalizing First Amendment activity as “terrorism” and chilling free speech. Members of the committee, including Rep. Bobby Scott and Rep. James Sensenbrenner, quickly dismissed my [...]

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Snitch Hunt

After reading the federal complaint for the arrest of animal rights activists on Animal Enterprise Terrorism charges, which I wrote about yesterday, this case still doesn’t add up. Some of you have posted comments that if these activists had actually assaulted someone, or if there was an imminent threat of violence, they would have been [...]

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FBI Agent: Video Surveillance Used to Track Activist Leafleting

When I first reported on the arrest of four animal rights activists in California under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, few details were available. The only information was the FBI press release (which mainstream media outlets have regurgitated nearly verbatim as news articles). I now have a copy of the criminal complaint written by FBI [...]

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5 Reasons for Activists to Cover Their Faces at Protests

“If activists have nothing to hide, why are they wearing masks?” I’ve heard that question over and over again. It usually comes in the form of a soundbite from someone affiliated with a corporation, industry or government agency that is attempting to smear lawful activists as “terrorists.” Their reasoning goes something like this: If you [...]

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FBI Arrests 4 Activists as “Terrorists” for Chalking Slogans, Leafleting and Protesting

It was only a matter of time. Since the passage of the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, a sweeping new law labeling animal rights activists as “terrorists,” corporations and industry groups have been pushing the federal government to use their new powers. For more than two years, the law has sat on the shelf. The government [...]

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