Undercover Investigations

“Ag Gag” Bill Reintroduced in Florida, as Animal Activist Faces Felony for Photography

Earlier this year, four states were considering “ag gag” bills to criminalize photography, or video or audio recording, of what goes on at factory farms, animal experimentation labs, and other facilities. They all failed, but as I have been saying for months, it will only be a matter of time before these bills are modified and [...]

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VICTORY: Finland Animal Activists Acquitted on Nearly All Counts for Exposing Factory Farms

Two animal rights activists in Finland have been found not guilty on nearly all charges related to their undercover investigations of factory farms, which revealed sick, injured, and dying pigs. Karry Hedberg and Saila Kivelä of Oikeutta Eläimille (Justice for Animals) were charged with “aggravated defamation” because of their exposés. According to Finnish news outlet Helsingin [...]

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Truthout: The “Eco-al-Qaeda”?

I wrote an article for Truthout about how, before the dust had even settled at ground zero, corporations and politicians were trying to use the tragedy of September 11th to label environmentalists as “eco-terrorists.” Here’s an excerpt: On September 12, 2001, as emergency crews searched for survivors, Rep. Greg Walden warned Congress that “eco-terrorists” posed [...]

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Finland Prosecutes Animal Activists for Undercover Videos Exposing Factory Farms

As animal rights activists continue to expose the systemic cruelty of factory farming, the industries targeted are doing everything they can to keep the public in the dark. I’ve written previously about attempts to pass new legislation criminalizing undercover investigations, how EUROPOL lists undercover videos as a terrorism threat, and how Spanish activists are being [...]

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NPR Investigates “Ag-Gag” Bills: Making Journalism Illegal

NPR’s “On The Media” invited me to discuss the attempts by multiple states to outlaw undercover investigations of factory farms, animal experimentation labs, puppy mills and other industries. My interview with Bob Garfield of NPR is online now. And the interview is even more timely because, as I reported yesterday, New York is now considering [...]

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New York Bill Targets Undercover Investigators, as Two Other “Ag-Gag” Proposals Fail

A bill introduced in New York would criminalize undercover investigators who expose animal cruelty at factory farms and animal experimentation labs. The proposal is similar to other “Ag-Gag” legislation recently introduced in other states. The bills targeting undercover investigators in Iowa, Florida, and Minnesota have been met with such public outrage that two of them [...]

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Huffington Post: “What is Big Ag Trying to Hide?”

The Huffington Post just published my op-ed on new bills being considered to criminalize undercover investigators, and punish anyone who exposes what goes on at factory farms. Here’s an excerpt: Undercover investigations by the Humane Society, Mercy for Animals and other groups have exposed systemic animal cruelty at factory farms. The video footage has led [...]

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Florida Senator Says Undercover Videos Exposing Factory Farms are “Terrorism”

Iowa, Florida, and Minnesota are all considering bills that single out animal and environmental activists who investigate cruelty and pollution at factory farms. Now, one Florida senator is going even further, and saying that these undercover investigations are “terrorism.” As I wrote recently in this article about the bills targeting investigators and whistleblowers, groups like [...]

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Minnesota Bill Targets Anyone Who Exposes an “Image or Sound” of Animal Suffering at Factory Farms, Puppy Mills

New legislation proposed in Minnesota attempts to crack down on activists who have exposed repeated animal welfare violations. Among its provisions, the bill targets anyone who documents an “image or sound” of animal suffering in a sweeping list of “animal facilities,” including factory farms, animal experimentation labs, and puppy mills. But House File No. 1369 [...]

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Iowa and Florida Ag-Industry Bills Target Animal Cruelty Investigations

The factory farming and agriculture industries in Iowa and Florida are trying to pass two bills that specifically target anyone who photographs, videotapes and exposes the animal cruelty that takes place behind their closed doors. In Iowa, Senate File 431 and House File 589 create new penalties for wide range of activities, including undercover investigations. [...]

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