Animal Liberation Press Office

press@animalliberationpressoffice.org

For Immediate Release
February 21, 2008

UCLA Files For Restraining Order Against Animal Activists
Underground Activists Laughing Out Loud

Los Angeles- In an obvious act of desperation, UC Regents have sought a restraining order against activists campaigning to stop their abusive treatment of non-human primates, including those being addicted to nicotine and methamphetamines in gruesome experiments of redundant and useless research in UCLA laboratories.

UCLA lawyers will attempt Thursday morning to restrain two distinct groups of activists: above ground picketers working with the UCLA Primate Freedom Project, who are exercising their freedom of speech by legally demonstrating against primate vivisection occurring at UCLA; and unknown underground activists with the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) and other groups. Considering these clandestine activists have previously risked long prison terms for arson against the UCLA animal abusers, it seems unlikely a civil restraining order will deter them much. None of the very public activists named in the TRO filing have ever been convicted of a crime (even one as minor as an infraction) in relation to activities at UCLA.

UCLA's suit appears to be in retribution for the picketers' federal law suit, filed in federal court just 2 months ago. Picketers are charging UCLA with ten causes of action, including depriving them of their constitutional rights to free speech. In recent months, activists legally picketing against UCLA primate vivisection have been met with unlawful obstruction and interference with their rights to picket by Santa Monica and UCLA police.

Underground organizations such as the ALF have historically stepped in when legal means of redress have been squelched; in all struggles throughout history, when individuals who protest are persecuted, those watching from the sidelines in frustration find themselves intervening with often-illegal direct action.

Animal Liberation Press Officer Jerry Vlasak, MD states: “UCLA may consider themselves an institution of higher education, but they are also an institution of primate torture, mutilation and death. UCLA's primate research is a colossal waste of taxpayer money, and their soliciting money from the tobacco and other industry groups to study their retail products is considered unethical by most physicians interested in research that might help their patients.”

“Most not being clinicians, UCLA researchers appear to have little interest in helping people, but instead seem to derive pleasure in addicting primates to 'Crystal Meth' and other drugs to further their own personal goals of academic and monetary enrichment. The recent attacks by the animal liberationists should come as no surprise to UCLA; they will undoubtedly remains a target until they stop their heinous experiments upon these innocent and non-consenting primates.”

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