For Immediate Release
January 7, 2005
Animal Liberationists Target Seaboard Securities for Ties to Animal Testing Company Huntigdon Life Sciences
Tequesta, FL- Animal liberation activists broke into the offices of Seaboard Securities at 17713 SE Federal Highway and destroyed equipment in retaliation for Seaboards support of animal testing firm Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS). Seaboard was one of two marketmakers in HLS stock until the action, which seems to have convinced them to no longer handle the shares.
HLS is a contract testing company that kills 500 animals per day testing agrochemicals, household products and some pharmaceuticals. They have been exposed for shoddy and cruel practices in five separate undercover investigations by journalists and activists. They have avoided bankruptcy only because of the intervention of the British government, who provides financial and insurance services for the beleaguered company based in the UK. Seaboard only recently began making a market in the shares, despite being contacted by activists and learning of the animal cruelty perpetrated by HLS.
A communiqué received by the Press Office reads in part : “December 30, 2004
Last night we broke into the offices of Seaboard Securities (HLS market maker) in Tequesta, Florida (17713 SE Federal Highway, Ste 100). We emptied a file cabinet of its files, and smashed several computer monitors and a television. Here’s a message to Kevin ,Dennis, Cristian, Adam, Guy and the rest of the Seaboard Securities staff: we now know where you live; we will not hesitate to take this fight to your doorstep if you continue to do business with Huntingdon Life Sciences
Shortly after the break-in, according to the OTCBB, Seaboard quit making a market in HLS stock, traded as LSRI in the US after being forced to leave the London Stock Exchange. Activists with the Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) campaign were “obviously delighted to hear Seaboard had capitulated. One more company has decided not to do business with HLS, who torture animals to death for profit. We wish the company had quit because of their ethical concerns, but as long as they quit, we’re happy” said SHAC activist Michael Berbone.