ALF

I think the main problem with the ALF is the outcome of their actions.

Sure, burning down an animal-testing lab causes severe economic loss to the owner, but, living in a capitalist society, another company simply comes and takes over the business. Therefore, business as usual continues. The second problem is, I think, that ALF action can marginalize the movement. Many 'mainstream' people don't want top be associated with ALF action - the 'causing economic loss' aspect specifically.

For this reason, I think if anyone is thinking of taking action through the ALF, it needs to be though out very, very carefully. Really think about the reaction you'll get, and animal rights in general will get, if you decide to go through with such action.

Remember, other organizations who took direct action, such as the Underground Railroad, took that action when there was widespread support for ending human slavery (the northern american states had already abolished it). Animal rights does not have this support yet, so again, really think about what you'll achieve through thr action.

While I give this warning however, I'm much like everyone else on here. To me, the people of the ALF cells are heros.

So..you guys are saying..that people that go and trash/destroy everything and free animals are ALF....

BUT..The people that go and do the above ..If they one day bash someone..Then they are not ALF?

Every group attracts different sorts =)

Of course you are going to have the odd violent person, it's the same with every group.

Good point.

But I think it can have an effect on that too. It's like a 'deterrant'. So in the same way the criminal 'justics' system's actions are supposed to deter crimes, the ALF actions deter and frighten people off from getting involved in animal abuse (at least at the supply end).

Also, when this happens, it makes things more expensive, which makes the consumer of the products pay more, which means less of ti goes on etc...

The actions of the ALF have many effects on people/society/industry and I think it would need to be studied in quite an in-depth way for us to arrive at a conclusion about whether they are effectively bringing about long term changes/an end to animal industries.

That being said, any disabling of animal abuse could be seen as worthwhile in its own right and certainly the rescuing of the individual animals is heroic.

Without doing any research, I'm guessing that insurance prices are a key aspect of the ALF activities. For example, if animal testing labs keep getting burned down, insurance is going to get amazingly high for those companies concerned. Once insurance prices hit that 'critical mass' , it's not going to be profitable. Bye bye animal testing labs.

I know once the ALF targetted banks which kept loaning to an animal testing lab (might have been to do with the SHACS movement). The ALF continually glued-shut the card slots on ATM machines, costing the banks a lot of money to fix. After a while, the banks abandoned loaning to the animal labs.

Ha, that's a classic!

thats exactly right.


I once read a story about a group of alf members who would go to this fur shop once a week and smash the windows. Eventually they closed down due to the insurance being to high.

The ALF is a leaderless organzation. Or in other words, you can't 'sign up.' If you break a window of a fur-selling outlet however, with the intension of bringing economic loss to the shop, you are part of the ALF whether you like it or not lol - or being a part of a similiar scenario along those lines.

I love it! It's such a grassroots movement type thing
Because it can be so faceless there's no stopping it either...

argh this was a response to Azzmilan.. but I see his post has been removed??

Now it looks so very random.  

YES! GO ALF!!