A permanent injunction was issued on Wednesday that seeks to prevent animal rights activists from harassing university researchers.
Five activists and three animal rights groups, including the Animal Liberation Front, which advocates the use of violence against researchers, are cited as defendants in the lawsuit, which was filed by UCLA in February 2008.
The injunction prohibits the defendants from coming within 50 feet of a researcher’s home during the day and 150 feet at night. It also prohibits them from posting personal information about UCLA faculty online.
“This permanent injunction is an important deterrent and sends a strong message to extremists: UCLA and the courts will not tolerate unlawful tactics to advance personal beliefs,” Chancellor Gene Block said in a statement.
The injunction is a continuation of a preliminary injunction that was issued in April 2008. It was made permanent after review by the Los Angeles County Superior Court, said Phil Hampton, a UCLA spokesman. The defendants did not dispute evidence presented by UCLA before the ruling, Hampton said.
Jerry Vlasak, an Animal Liberation Front spokesman, called the ruling an impingement of civil liberties.
“Anyone who boycotts what another person is doing can be said to be affecting them, but it’s a constitutional right for someone who sees something wrong to protest it,” Vlasak said. “The university says it is a bastion of free speech, but it is prohibiting people from speaking out.”
Vlasak said the injunction has been in place for more than a year and has not been effective.
“So far there has been no decrease in protests,” he said.
Hampton said the injunction is an important tool in combating illegal activity by protestors.
“Since the injunction has been put in place, the people who used to protest in front of the homes of researchers have been more carefully monitored,” he said. He added that those found in violation of the terms of the injunction are subject to contempt of court.