Eco Terrorism in America Dr Alison Meek Department

Eco Terrorism in America Dr. Alison Meek Department of History King’s University College The Evolution of the Environmental Movement Earth First! and ELF The Animal Liberation Front (ALF) Response

Terrorism • what is terrorism? • FBI º domestic terrorism “the unlawful use, or threatened use, of force or violence by a group or individual based and operating entirely within the US and Puerto Rico without foreign direction committed against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population or any segment thereof in furtherance of political or social objectives”

Eco Terrorism • evolution of movements to terrorist groups º fringe/splinter º asymmetrical warfare º media attention

Evolution of the Environmental Movement • conservation º National Parks • Rachel Caron, Silent Spring, 1962 º pesticides

• government legislation, 1960 s-1970 s º water º EPA º Earth Day, April 1970

Environmental Radicalism • Greenpeace, 1972 º Canadians º whaling & seals º nuclear testing º nonviolence º violent response

Environmental Radicalism • Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, 1977 º Paul Watson º whaling º net cutting º bombs º ram and sink ships

Deep Ecology • bio-centricism

Deep Ecology • environmental equality º all life forms º mountains and streams º viruses • radical changes needed º human population º pre-industrial society

• Earth First! (1980) targets º corporate industrialism º over population º energy consumption º resource consumption º pollution

• tactics º no compromise º monkeywrenching ∞ public awareness ∞ inflict economic damage

Earth First! • monkeywrenching º survey stakes º vehicle destruction º tree sitting º power lines º tree spiking

Earth First! • Glen Canyon Dam, 1981 • FBI sting, 1990 • splits emerging

Earth Liberation Front (ELF), 1992 • direct action º vandalism º arson

• targets º “real terrorists” º Mc. Donald’s º Forest Service stations º condos ∞ San Diego, 2003 º SUVs and dealerships

• Vail, October 1998 º mountain lynx

The Animal Liberation Front (ALF) • England, 1976 • America, 1979 • targets º university labs (UWO) º Mc. Donald’s º pet stores

• tactics º fire/arson

• tactics º vandalism

• tactics º animal liberation º Operation Bite Back, 1990 s ∞ fur farms and labs º problems animal deaths in the wild

Organizational Structure • leaderless cells º 2 -5 people • benefits? • dangers?

Government Backlash • Congressional hearings º PETA and funding • legal protection ‘Animal Enterprises’

FBI and Eco Radicals • FBI categorize as #1 domestic terrorist threat º militias º anti-abortion terrorists º religious terrorists • why?