University officials filed a lawsuit against the Animal Liberation Front, the Animal Liberation Brigade and five unnamed individuals because of various attacks on professors who have been conducting animal research over the last two years.
UCLA has decided to take legal action to try to put an end to the recent violent acts.
“The purpose is to seek an injunction to prohibit the harassment of UCLA faculty who are doing research on animals,” said Phil Hampton, a university spokesman.
Pursuing restraining orders is the beginning of an attempt to end violence against animal researchers at UCLA, he said.
“This is the first step in the process, filing the complaint tomorrow,” he added.
“There is a hearing scheduled at 8:30 a.m. (today) in Department A at the Santa Monica Superior Court to hear arguments on the temporary restraining order the university seeks,” Hampton said.
According to press releases by UCLA, the various attacks include a Molotov cocktail-type device ignited at the home of Edythe London, a professor of psychiatry and bio-behavioral sciences, and an attempted car bombing of another faculty member.
Also, a package rigged with razor blades was mailed to another professor, and London’s home was flooded when a garden hose was stuck through a broken window.
All these attacks have happened since June 2006.
Jerry Vlasak, a press officer for Animal Liberation, said he believes the suit has no legal bearing.
“It is a nonsensical lawsuit,” he said.
Vlasak said he believes the lawsuit will be thrown out, and, if not, he said it will result in a countersuit against UCLA.
“The Animal Liberation Front and the Animal Liberation Brigade are two underground organizations that do not exist,” he added.
Vlasak explained that the two organizations have no phone number or contact information, nor any base of operations and there is no way to contact them.
“We serve as a publicity arm for a number of underground animal organizations,” Vlasak said, regarding his press organization. “The only contacts we have with them are anonymous communiques that they send to our office.”
There is absolutely no personal contact between the groups due to the sensitive nature of their illegal activities, he said.
“We do interviews and handle their press. They obviously cannot speak for themselves; they would be arrested if they spoke up,” he added.
Hampton said he believes there is enough evidence to receive favorable legal action.
“The university believes it has a strong case in filing this complaint and seeking an injunction against those named in the complaint,” he said.
Hampton said a large and esteemed university such as UCLA would not be wasting its time with a frivolous lawsuit.
“The university wouldn’t be taking this action if they didn’t believe it had a strong case,” he said.
Authorities said the criminal investigations are continuing.
“We have multiple ongoing investigations with our partners at the LAPD and local law enforcement agencies where incendiary devices have been left at homes, we believe targeting UCLA researchers,” said FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller.
She said the ongoing investigations have been fruitful.
“Absolutely there has been progress, but unfortunately I cannot comment as to jeopardize the ongoing investigations. No charges have been filed at this point,” she added.
The multiple incidents are being dealt with individually, but Eimiller said the possibility the crimes have been committed by local animal rights agencies is highly likely.
“The ALF and ALB, on several instances, have taken responsibility for actions taken against UCLA researchers,” Hampton said.
But Vlasak said that even though these organizations choose to break the law, they have a good cause.
“The purpose of these organizations is to stop the abuse of innocent nonhuman animals,” Vlasak said, “In particular regard to UCLA, to stop the torture and killing of nonhuman primates on campus.”
The groups responsible for the recent attacks choose to use violence in achieving their means, he said.
“These particular organizations are willing to violate what they believe are unjust laws in order to protect these animals,” Vlasak said.
While there have been past occurrences of attacks on faculty, “the frequency and severity of the activities against UCLA researchers has increased in recent years, starting with the first attempt at firebombing in 2006,” Hampton said.
He added, “UCLA is a major research university and has projects underway that have laboratory animals. All research is in compliance with strict federal regulations and policies.”
There is currently a reward of $170,000 for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the firebombings.