By Brent Richter
North Shore News
A radical animal rights group has claimed responsibility for an attack on Real Housewives of Vancouver cast member Jody Claman’s West Vancouver clothing boutique.
Activists from the Animal Liberation Front publicized their unapologetic communiqué on Bite Back magazine’s website Wednesday morning, claiming responsibility for spray-painting “ALF” on the door of Glass House Couture and spraying a noxious chemical inside on Thursday last week. The activists targeted the store because Claman sells fur there and because she is known to wear fur on TV.
“Jody Claman supports and promotes the abuse, torture and murder of tens of thousands of innocent furry animals on her stupid TV show Real Housewives of Vancouver,” the statement reads. “She has a reputation for wearing dozens of dead animals in the form of her grotesque full fur coats. She prances around through her useless, meaningless life looking like a psychotic bastard child of Cruella Deville (sic) and Barbie.”
The anonymous group admits to squirting a foul liquid through the door to destroy anything it touched and to painting ALF on the door to remind Claman she is under surveillance by animal liberationists. The activists then vow to escalate their campaign against Claman if she continues to sell and wear fur.
“If we ever find fur in your store again or on your stupid show, we’ll see you at home next time,” they say.
Claman could not be reached for comment but told the Province last week that the fur sold in her store is second-hand.
ALF calls that a lie.
West Vancouver police have seen the ALF claim and continue to investigate. “The investigation is ongoing. We don’t have an identified suspect. We’re aware there’s been online postings with regard to it and those are being examined as part of the overall investigation,” said Const. Jeff Palmer, West Vancouver Police Department spokesman.
Because of the noxious substance, Claman’s other business Jody’s Fine Foods and Catering, which operates at the same site, has been ordered closed by Vancouver Coastal Health until all the food on the site is disposed of and the business has been inspected.
Fur flies as Real Housewives of Vancouver star’s store vandalized by animal activists
By Glenda Luymes
The Province
A West Vancouver luxury boutique owned by Jody Claman of Real Housewives of Vancouver fame was allegedly vandalized Thursday night for selling fur.
Claman said the storefront was splattered with paint and tagged with the letters ALF — which presumably stand for Animal Liberation Front.
But the reality-TV star placed most of the blame for the attack on her co-star and nemesis, Mary Zilba.
“I am being targeted because she told people I sell fur [in the store],” Claman told The Province.
“It’s ridiculous.”
Claman said that, while her store, Glass House Couture, does sell fur, most of it is vintage or sourced from places such as Finland where animals are treated ethically.
“I don’t believe in killing innocent animals,” she said.
A note on the store’s Facebook page advertises fur and feather vests, pointing to numerous stars and celebrities who were photographed this fall wearing fur.
West Vancouver RCMP said they are conducting a mischief investigation. An unusual odour prompted police to close Clyde Avenue for a few hours while HAZMAT teams investigated, but no health risks were found, said Const. Jeff Palmer.
“We have no suspects at this time,” he added.
An ALF spokesman in the United States told The Province he hasn’t been contacted by Vancouver activists claiming responsibility for the vandalism, but the letters on Claman’s shop are a good indication it was the group.
Several Vancouver stores that sell fur have been targeted by ALF in recent months.
According to the ALF website, on Christmas Eve the locks at Hills of Kerrisdale were glued shut as a “warning” to stop selling fur, leather, down and silk.
And on New Year’s Day an anonymous “communique” was posted to the website saying Speiser Furs was targeted by two separate ALF cells on the same night.
When one group went to glue the locks and past leaflets, another group was at the back of the store “using hypodermic needles to shoot a foul substance into the store through cracks in the door.”
The missive also spoke of another attack at Max Mara several days earlier.
Claman said it wasn’t fair that little comments made by others on the reality-TV show should affect her business.
“I am a human being,” she said.
Your home is next, animal activists tell Real Housewives of Vancouver star after store is vandalized
By Ian Austin
The Province
Animals activists have admitted responsibility for the attack of Real Housewives of Vancouver star Jody Claman’s shop — and are ramping up the rhetoric and threats on the Internet.
Claman’s Glass House Couture, which sells fur, was set upon by vandals who spray-painted the letters ALF on the shop’s exterior.
Now the Animal Liberation Front has gone online to take credit for the attack — and threaten further actions against the reality-TV star.
“We returned to Vancouver to visit another house of horrors, the Glass House,“ reads a post signed ‘Animal Liberation Front’ in BITE BACK magazine, which bills itself as a ‘news magazine about the radical animal rights movement worldwide.’
“The Glass House is owned by notorious animal abuser Jody Claman.
“If we ever find fur in your store again or on your stupid show we’ll see you at home next time.”
The ALF post proudly boasts of what the activists did.
“We squirted foul liquid in the door to destroy anything it touched. We also reminded the Glass House that they are under surveillance by signing our name ALF in large painted letters. We splashed the remaining paint on the front of the store to warn your community about what you do to innocent animals every single day in the name of your obscene ‘fashion sense.’”
The activists make their opposition to Claman very personal.
“She has a reputation for wearing dozens of dead animals in the form of her grotesque full fur coats,” reads the post.
“She prances around through her useless, meaningless life looking like a psychotic bastard child of cruella deville and barbie.”West Vancouver Police Const. Jeff Palmer said police are aware of the ALF Internet post.
Asked if extra security is being added to Claman’s shop and home, Palmer replied:
“The investigation includes preventive measures.”
Other than that, Palmer gave few details.
“This is an active, ongoing investigation and we are not able to discuss much in any detail,” he told The Province. “There is no confirmed suspect.
“We are focused on our investigation, not a publicity campaign for anyone.”
Claman could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
After the vandals attacked her shop, Claman pinned the blame on her co-star Mary Zilba — the two have an on-air feud that apparently carries over into real life.
“I am being targeted because she [Zilba] told people I sell fur,” Claman told The Province. “It’s ridiculous.
“I don’t believe in harming innocent animals.”
Claman said she sells fur, but most of it is vintage or sourced from countries such as Finland which treat animals ethically.