From the Animal Liberation Front Supporters Group [UK]

"Over the past couple of months the police have been raiding, arresting and charging people who they suspect to have some connection with the Animal Liberation Front".

A number of these people are members of the legitimate ALF Supporters Group, an organisation completely separate from the activist Animal Liberation Front groups who work autonomously. So far, the person who has taken over from Ronnie Lee as national Press Officer has been raided four times since last November and has recently been charged by Cardiff police for allegedly conspiring to incite others to commit criminal damage. He has had to surrender his passport, report to the police station twice a week and raise one thousand pounds surety. Another arrest has resulted in a charge of allegedly conspiring to commit criminal damage and this person has similar bail conditions. Both will be appearing at Cardiff Magistrates Court on August 10th and face a prison sentence of four years each if found guilty. Ronnie Lee, Co-Founder of the ALF was charged and subsequently convicted in February after being kept on remand for 10 months.

He then received a ten-year prison sentence - yet was never proven to have had any direct link with illegal acts.

Another worker at the Supporters Group received a 4 year sentence.

Those in a position of power, the Governments and the Multi-nationalists, consider the Supporters Group and Press Office as being one of the most damaging elements within the direct action movement. The Press Officer, for instance, often speaks to millions of people in one go, and although the majority do not agree with some ALF actions a certain amount are always educated as to the extent of animal abuse. The propaganda machine, which is being run by those in power, may be huge, but even one live interview on television featuring the ALF Press Officer can disrupt the corrupt business of abusing animals, and the financial gain made as a result, more than they care for.

Imagine how powerful the meat industry must be when it makes a profit of one hundred and twenty million pounds a day. Many Members of Parliament are in some way connected with the meat, fur and vivisection industries, some own farms - and many are keen blood sport enthusiasts. It is hardly surprising that the ALF and the ALF Supporters Group have absolutely no faith in politicians. There is far too much money at stake - and anyway the Governments would never allow themselves to be put into such a vulnerable position and risk losing the support of the multi-national companies involved in the killing of animals.

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