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January 5, 2013: Molotov cocktail bombing in Canada

On this day in 2013 the ALF tossed a Molotov cocktail at a Vancouver police car parked outside the home of a fur store owner.

VANCOUVER, CANADA – If you are trying to make a statement about something, at least get your target right.

Are you an omnivore? Do you like a variety of foods? Do you think others should tell you what you can and cannot eat?

What about your clothing? Do you wear leather? What about fur? Do you think others should tell you what to put on your back?

Some do. Like the Animal Liberation Front (ALF).

The ALF is behind some actions that make sense, at least to me. Like when they protest against animal cruelty. Who could be against cruelty? Except that what constitutes ‘cruelty’ is not universally agreed upon. Nevertheless, the ALF sees any treatment of animals as ‘cruel’, hence their anti-fur campaign.

On this day in 2013

The ALF tossed a Molotov cocktail at a Vancouver Police (VPD) vehicle parked outside the home of Megan Halprin, co-owner of the Snowflake fur store in the city’s downtown. Both Halprin’s home and business have been the target of numerous attacks and vandalism in recent years, including a May 2012 attack on her shop in which red paint was splashed by vandals.

The increased police presence will not stop our graceful and successful attacks. Make no mistake, this is a war. This is a fur war. This is a class war. The elite and the police are the enemy and will be treated as such.

ALF statement

The ALF says it uses “economic sabotage” to stop what it describes as needless animal suffering, claiming animals are kept in cages for life and subjected to unnecessary stress and suffering as a result. Not surprisingly, the fur industry says otherwise: the truth is somewhere in between.

So the ALF bombs a police car? What possible role does the VPD have in the fur industry? How about none, the ALF’s ridiculous statement notwithstanding.

A message for the ALF: if you want to make a point make sure you target the ones who are actually past of what you see as the problem. When you bomb a squad car you just look stupid.

By Phil Gurski

Phil Gurski is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. Phil is a 32-year veteran of CSE and CSIS and the author of six books on terrorism.

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