Washington, DC — Seven leaders of the violent animal rights group SHAC (Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty) were taken into custody this morning. A five-count federal indictment accuses SHAC’s leaders of terrorizing and stalking people because of their connections to disease research involving animals. The impact of these arrests will also undoubtedly be felt inside several “mainstream” animal rights charities: Some of today’s arrestees are closely connected to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and its affiliated pseudo-medical front group, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
The Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) is America’s premier research organization uncovering the disturbing and violent underbelly of today’s animal rights movement.
“Arrested SHAC leader Joshua Harper received a $5,000 grant from PETA in 2001,” said CCF director of research David Martosko. “Andy Stepanian organizes rock concerts used by PETA to recruit teenagers into the radical animal rights movement. In recent years, SHAC president (and recent arrestee) Kevin Jonas has co-signed a series of letters with PETA Foundation president Neal Barnard, aimed at convincing pharmaceutical companies to pull their business from SHAC’s main target. Barnard also runs the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), PETA’s quasi-medical front group.”
“SHAC would never have existed without PETA,” Martosko added. “SHAC may turn out to be the mainstream animal-rights movement’s Achilles Heel. PETA started this ball rolling. And if there’s any justice, it will be their undoing.” Mr. Martosko is available for interview.
The Center For Consumer Freedom’s in-depth analysis of the violent SHAC organization is available at http://www.ActivistCash.com.