In our post Sept. 11 traumatized world, smoke filled corridors of high rise buildings will never be viewed as an innocuous thing. The images of desperate people jumping from the Twin Towers and massive amounts of debris crashing onto the streets of New York aren’t easily forgotten.
Last Wednesday, terrorism came to downtown Seattle, as nearly 700 people were evacuated following a pair of smoke bomb attacks. Speculation is that the military-style smoke bombs planted in separate sites were placed there by supporters of the animal rights group Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty. SHAC’s primary target is Huntingdon Life Sciences, a company involved in bio-medical research which involves testing on animals. The two Seattle office buildings house companies insuring the British-based research firm. While no one has officially claimed responsibility for the attacks, there is a clear pattern of this type of activity involving SHAC supporters worldwide. A message posted to SHAC’s Web site following the attacks stated: "Although we do support direct action, as long as it doesn’t hurt any animal, human or non-human, we do not engage in, organize or fund such actions. However, we do applaud those brave enough to do so."
While the perpetrators are lucky that no one was injured in the orderly evacuation of the buildings, they frankly can’t be allowed to continue their "ends justify the means" approach to activism. Property damage, intimidation and acts of terrorism should not be considered effective ways to make a point.
Regardless of where you stand on the issue of animal rights, this act was wrong. Far from a harmless prank, these domestic terrorists preyed on the vulnerability of innocent people, leaving us to wonder — what were they thinking?
Do they really expect that major insurance companies will stop selling policies to clients whose organizations were involved in the testing of animals? Did they really imagine that this kind of cowardly act would somehow serve to change their minds? Isn’t it more likely — rather than resulting in cancelled insurance policies — that they’ll simply jack up the rates to compensate for the hassle of doing business?
Appropriately, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are involved in this investigation.
This is clearly a case of "what you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say."
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