Will Potter

Making Friends

One reason the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act passed with little opposition, even from liberal groups that have spoken out against the war and the Patriot Act, is because the animal rights movement has made itself a political leper. A recent example: Michael Moore’s new film, Sicko, is about the health care industry. Peta’s response? Call […]

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“Green is the New Red” Event in Eugene This Friday

I leave for Oregon tomorrow for the remaining court dates for the Operation Backfire defendants, who are facing “terrorism enhancements” on top of their sentences. While I’m there I’ll be speaking about the “eco-terrorism” of the Green Scare with folks from the Civil Liberties Defense Center. Hope to see you there. Will Green is the […]

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Editorial in ‘Nature’ Against Green Scare

Nature has an editorial in the latest issue against “terrorism enhancement” in the cases out West, and also more broadly against the “eco-terrorism” rhetoric we’ve been seeing in legislation like the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. This is big breakthrough, especially considering the source. An excerpt: But ‘terrorist’ is a word so debased and loaded by […]

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Fur Shop Owners Rebuked in Lawsuit Against Protestors

With all the “terrorism enhancement” news this week, I missed some good news (I know, it’s shocking, GNR can be full of so much “eco-terrorism” gloom and doom). But on Tuesday a federal judge defended the rights of activists to protest despite the “terrorism” rhetoric of the fur salon’s owners. Schumacher Furs has been the […]

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First Operation Backfire Defendant Sentenced as “Terrorist”

A federal judge labeled property destruction in the name of the environment “terrorism” yesterday and sentenced the first of the Operation Backfire defendants to 13 years in prison. Activists around the country– and particularly the remaining nine defendants– had been watching the sentencing very carefully, because the judge’s tenor may foreshadow the remaining court dates. […]

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“My Brother, The ‘Terrorist’”

Check out this oped in The L.A. Times by Caroline Paul, whose brother Jonathan is one of the defendants who faces “terrorism enhancement” penalties for environmentally-motivated property crimes: in this case, an arson against a horse slaughtering plant. An interesting sidenote is that Caroline was a San Francisco firefighter for 13 years. Here’s an excerpt: […]

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Hey Chicago: Green Scare Presentation this Saturday

I’ll be heading to Chicago this Saturday to give a talk at an activist conference about the Green Scare and how “terrorism” rhetoric is being exploited to push a corporate political agenda. If you know folks in Chicago, could you let them know about the event? Here’s the rundown. Oh, and check out this great […]

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Closer Look at Court Ruling on Applying “Terrorism Enhancements” to Activists

“Terrorism enhancement” penalties may apply to a group of activists charged with property crimes in the name of protecting the environment and animal rights, a U.S. District Court judge ruled Monday. But the burden will be heavily on the government to “present clear and convincing evidence” during sentencing in order for the T-word to apply. […]

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Breaking News: Judge Rules That “Terrorism Enhancement” May Apply to Activists

A U.S. District Judge in Oregon just ruled that “terrorism enhancement” penalties may apply to environmental and animal rights activists in the “Operation Backfire” cases. I’m sifting through all this now and hope to post more tonight. Stay tuned.

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More Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act Myths and Sidestepping

Check out this Q/A at Wired with Frankie Trull of the National Association for Biomedical Research: I’ve read that the A.E.T.A. poses a threat to civil liberties. On one website I read that “Anyone engaging in non-violent civil disobedience causing at least $10,000 profit loss, will be considered a terrorist.” They refuse to actually read […]

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