comment: "Because a closed farm is an unlikely A.L.F. target,
an insurance fraud motive should be suspected by investigators."
Saboteurs claim responsibility for torching former mink farm near
Astoria
July 28, 2010
Bryan
Denson, The Oregonian
Underground saboteurs claimed responsibility today for the firebombing
on Tuesday of a mink farm near Astoria, the first arson attack by
animal-rights activists in Oregon in years.
"We delivered eight incendiary devices to the lovely folks at Ylipeltos
Fur Farm," the arsonists claimed in an anonymous communique. "It is nice
to see that the enslavement, torture, and death of thousands of innocent
creatures affords certain people luxuries like boats, nice cars, and
various (expensive, no doubt) farm machinery, and we were more than
happy to alleviate them of these," they wrote.
The communique, published online by the North American Animal Liberation
Press Office, said the arsonists simultaneously attacked the front and
rear of the mink farm to leave an impression on those subjugating
animals for profit.
The fires reportedly damaged a building, boat, car, two forklifts and a
front-end loader at 92659 Simonsen Loop Road. But Clatsop County Sheriff
Tom Bergin said the property owners had gotten rid of their mink after
activists broke in and released many of their animals. "They are an
older couple, "Bergin said. "They said, 'We're tired, we're done.' There
are not even any mink out there and these people come back."
Animal-rights activists broke into the mink farm and released animals in
2008 and 2009, according to Peter Young, who served two years in federal
prison for a string of 1997 mink releases in the Midwest. Young said he
strongly supported Tuesday's attack, which is under investigation by the
FBI and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. "I
think that people are aware that releasing mink from a farm can
potentially shut farms down," he said. "But using incendiary devices can
get the job done much more efficiently."
Young's underground campaign against the fur industry freed 8,000 to
12,000 of the animals in Iowa, South Dakota and Wisconsin during 1997.
The activist, who grew up in the Seattle area, was wanted for seven
years before his arrest. A decade ago, Oregon became a national hub for
eco-saboteurs after militant animal-rights activists and radical
environmentalists joined forces. They sometimes broke into small
underground "cells" to torch enterprises they accused of despoiling the
natural world. Many of their crimes were committed under the banner of
the Animal Liberation Front and the Earth Liberation Front, which the
FBI classifies as the nation's most prolific domestic terrorist
organizations.
Their firebombings subsided in Oregon about eight years ago after
crackdowns by task forces of state, local and federal investigators.
Their investigations put several people behind bars and made fugitives
of others. Young said he doubted law enforcement pressure put an end to
the arsons in Oregon, and he suspected that the saboteurs who carried
out Tuesday's attack thought the mink farm was going to reopen.
"People who carry out these actions do their research," he said. "If the
mink farm was in fact closed, the activists were almost certainly aware
of that fact and chose to strike it anyway."
--
Bryan Denson
Twice-raided Ylipelto Mink Farm Destroyed
Jul 28th, 2010
by
Peter Young and the Press Office
Astoria, Oregon: In an anonymous communique received by the North
American Animal Liberation Press Office, animal liberation activists have
taken credit for the destruction of
Ylipelto Mink Farm in Astoria, Oregon. The farm has been the target of 2
previous raids by animal liberationists; the first occurred in October 2008,
when 1,500 mink were released in a raid claimed by the �Vegan Straight
Edge�. The second raid occurred October 4th, 2009, when 300 mink were
released; at 1:23 AM that morning, a farmer reported to police that someone
was �releasing her mink�, indicating the liberators were spotted in the act,
but escaped un-arrerested. No group took credit for that raid.
The current communique reads, in full:
We delivered eight incendiary devices to the lovely folks at
Ylipelto's Fur Farm, at 92659 Simonsen Loop Road in Astoria on the morning
of July 27th. It is nice to see that the enslavement, torture, and death of
thousands of innocent creatures affords certain people luxuries like boats,
nice cars, and various (expensive, no doubt) "farm machinery, and we were
more than happy to alleviate them of these. A careful attack sent structures
up in flame both in the front and rear of the property, simultaneously. We
hope that this can leave an impression on our friends, Veikko & Eeva, that
making such a living off of the subjugation of sentient creatures (for
something as selfish and disgusting as the fashion industry, no less) will
not be tolerated. We hope that others like them will also consider where
their priorities lie (the nearby Wilkinson & Stunkard farms, to name a
couple), and decide whether or not they'd like to be next. --Don't
think that you've be given a choice; your actions serve as your voice.
Owner Henry Pelto stated he awoke at 3 am to the sound of explosions, and
found several pieces of equipment on fire. The owner revealed new
information after the fire: after being targeted twice by activists, the
Ylipelto farm shut down in December 2009.
This marks the second Oregon fur farm to apparently shut down after an
animal liberationist raid. The S&N Fur Farm in Scio, Oregon was found to be
empty in a summer 2009 investigation as part of the
Fur Farm Intelligence Project (although there is conflicting evidence
indicating the farm may still be open, or reopening in the near future).
That farm was raided by the A.L.F. in September, 2008. Astoria is the
largest mink farming town in Oregon, home to
five known mink farms (and another
possible farm that is unconfirmed).
Imprisoned in cages for life, fur-bearing animals are forced to endure
intensive confinement, compared to the miles of territory these animals
would enjoy in the wild - their natural state. The natural instincts of
these captive animals are completely frustrated; self-mutilation, sickness,
infection, poor sanitation and the sheer stress of confinement lead animals
to premature death. When they survive, animals of sufficient size are killed
by anal electrocution or gassing, then skinned. Whereas reports from the fur
industry have surfaced that liberations were harmful to the animals, the
Animal Liberation Front (ALF) and other organizations have a long history of
successfully releasing animals into the wild. In addition to liberating the
wild animals destined for a certain, painful and agonizing death, another
goal of liberationists is to cause economic damage to fur farms; dozens of
fur farming operations have seen economic ruin since "Operation Bite Back"
began by the ALF in the 1990s.
Contact: (818) 227-5022
Animal Liberation Press Office
6320 Canoga Avenue #1500
Woodland Hills, CA 91367
www.animalliberationpressoffice.org
press@animalliberationpressoffice.org
From Voice of the Voiceless:
Fire and explosions tear through the twice-raided
Ylipelto Mink Farm in Oregon
After two successful raids, activists may have once again visited the
Ylipelto Mink Farm in Oregon - this time to burn it down.
In the early hours of July 27th, a boat, car, two forklifts, front-end
loader, and a barn were all damaged by fire. investigators have not yet ruled it
arson, but have noted the farm has been targeted by the Animal Liberation Front
in the past.
Owner Henry Pelto stated he awoke at 3 am to the sound of explosions, and
found several pieces of equipment on fire.
The owner revealed new information after the fire: after being targeted twice
by activists, the Ylipelto farm shut down in December 2009. While the there may
be numerous contributing factors in the closure, it may be largely or wholly
credited to the A.L.F.
This marks the second Oregon fur farm to apparently shut down after an A.L.F.
raid. The S&N Fur Farm in Scio, Oregon was found to be empty in a summer 2009
investigation as part of the Fur Farm Intelligence Project (although there is
conflicting evidence indicating the farm may still be open, or reopening in the
near future). That farm was raided by the A.L.F. in September, 2008.
News of the Ylipelto farm's closure sheds doubt on police claims the fire may
be the work of activists. Because a closed farm is an unlikely A.L.F. target, an
insurance fraud motive should be suspected by investigators. Whoever is behind
the fire, it would appear unlikely activists would target a closed mink farm,
unless there was strong reason to believe the farm would reopen again in the
future.
The Ylipelto Mink Farm has been the site of two mink liberations in recent
years. The first occurred in October 2008, where 1,500 mink were released. The
raid was claimed by the "Vegan Straight Edge".
The second raid occurred October 4th, 2009, when 300 mink were released. At
1:23 AM that morning, a farmer reported to police that someone was �releasing
her mink�, indicating the liberators were spotted in the act, but escaped
un-arrested. No group took credit for the raid.
Astoria is the largest mink farming town in Oregon, home to five known mink
farms (and another possible farm that is unconfirmed).
No claim of responsibility has yet been made for the fire, and investigators
have not yet ruled it arson.
The A.L.F. continues to strike major blows to the Oregon fur industry, which
has already seen seven fur farm raids - and now, possibly its third A.L.F.
arson.
- Peter Young
Underground saboteurs claimed responsibility today for the firebombing on
Tuesday of a mink farm near Astoria, the first arson attack by animal-rights
activists in Oregon in years.
"We delivered eight incendiary devices to the lovely folks at Ylipeltos Fur
Farm," the arsonists claimed in an anonymous communique.
"It is nice to see that the enslavement, torture, and death of thousands of
innocent creatures affords certain people luxuries like boats, nice cars, and
various (expensive, no doubt) farm machinery, and we were more than happy to
alleviate them of these," they wrote.
The communique, published online by the North American Animal Liberation
Press Office, said the arsonists simultaneously attacked the front and rear of
the mink farm to leave an impression on those subjugating animals for profit.
--
full story:
http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2010/07/saboteurs_claim_
responsibility_for_torching_former_mink_farm_near_astoria.html
SVENSEN, Ore. - Fires and explosions rocked a property east of Astoria that
has been targeted in the past by animal rights activists, and investigators are
looking into whether it was arson.
The fires destroyed a boat and melted its fiberglass hull, and nearby, a
family sedan was apparently set on fire.
...
If it was vandalism it wasn�t the first time. Animal rights activists were on
the property in 2008 and released minks from cages, but the irony is there are
no more mink on the property. The farm�s been shut down since December.
...
Investigators with the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives, plus detectives from the Columbia County Sheriff�s Office combed the
site for evidence but won�t say if it is an arson case or who might have set the
blazes or why.
--
full story:
http://www.katu.com/news/local/99446414.html
