Posted on 12/05/2008 2:46:23 PM PST by jazusamo
UCLA Chancellor Gene Block condemned violence by animal rights activists in a university statement last week after two vehicles were torched outside of a Los Angeles home on Nov. 20.
Students and Workers for the Liberation of UCLA Primates claimed responsibility for the attack which targeted a UCLA researcher.
“Through these reprehensible tactics and reckless behavior, anti–animal research extremists demonstrate repeatedly that they are willing not only to risk the lives of those who spend their careers working to help others but also the lives of the unsuspecting general public, including children,” Block said in a UCLA statement.
An improvised incendiary device was used to carry out the attack, UCLA spokesman Phil Hampton said.
Hampton said the vehicles were destroyed outside of a house that was occupied by “a woman who does not work at UCLA and her daughter.”
Both were sleeping at the time of the attack, Hampton said.
“Words cannot express the contempt we hold for these acts of cowardice that have put in harm’s way not only our faculty, students and staff, but their families, friends and neighbors.” Block said, according to the statement.
The North American Animal Liberation Press Office, which speaks on the behalf of animal rights activist groups, responded to Block’s remarks in a statement released Nov. 27.
“These are typical lies and deception that UCLA and other apologists for animal abuse trot out to hide their complicity in the unnecessary imprisonment, torture and killing of non-human animals,” said Jerry Vlasak, a spokesman for the Animal Liberation Press Office.
Vlasak described the use of violence in the struggle to end animal research as an unfortunate but necessary measure.
“The UCLA administration has had every opportunity to peacefully negotiate, and has flatly refused even to meet with (animal rights groups).”
He added, “All peaceful things have been tried, so what else can be done?”
Vlasak believes that extremist groups will continue to act until “at some point the university will stop or people doing the research will come to their senses.”
“Eventually there will be a time when somebody steps in and harms or physically stops these researchers from hurting animals, and I think if that happens then it would be morally justifiable,” Vlasak said.
Vlasak said he thought that injuring innocent people should be avoided, but did not rule out the possibility of accidental occurrences.
“I certainly don’t think anybody wants to harm innocent bystanders, but it’s worth noting that up to 500,000 people innocent people have been killed in Iraq by US forces,” he said.
“Its unfortunate that the struggle to help these innocent animals has progressed this far,” Vlasak said. “But really UCLA has no one to blame but themselves.”
University police are currently working with the LAPD and FBI to catch those responsible for the Nov. 20 arson attack, said Hampton.
This recent act was only one in a series of violent crimes directed at the university that have been linked to animal rights activist groups.
These crimes include the firebombing of a UCLA vanpool vehicle in June 2008.
“Acts like this do not represent the expression of free speech,” Hampton said. “Firebombs are not free speech.”
Hampton maintained that the university refuses to negotiate with animal rights groups “unless they denounce violence and threats.”
According to a university statement, “UCLA remains steadfast in its commitment to the legal use of laboratory animals in research for the benefit of society. Discontinuing all animal research would diminish hope for millions of people with AIDS, cancer, heart disease and other ailments.”
As the spokesman for animal rights terrorists he should not be allowed to retain his license to practice medicine.
Vlasak Ping!
We can start doing the same kind of sh** to you Vlasak.
L
I don’t understand this at all. I thought only we right wing crazies were capable of violence. At least that is what TV keeps telling me.
Not too long ago,60 Minutes did a piece about "Doctor" Vlasic in which he was quoted at one point as saying that he'd support the murder of medical researchers who do studies on animals in order to stop the practice.
I was so outraged I called the California Medical Licensing Board in Sacramento to suggest that he was unfit to practice medicine.The woman I talked to said that the Board was "aware" of Vlasic and implied,but didn't state unambiguously,that he was under investigation.
Thanks for your post, I’m very glad to hear that.
I try to read everything I can on him and don’t believe anything like that has been written in any articles, at least I haven’t seen it.
If any doctor deserves to be investigated he certainly does!
What goes around, comes around, Dr.
Agreed re. Vlasak. These really radical animal rights characters are brazenly anti-human. Let him treat animals if he wants — at least the creep could be trusted to heal them.
This is how jackals of the left operate - if they don't get their way immediately then they resort to violence and unlawful behavior.
After all, if everyone in society does not accept "the truth" as they see it then violent coercion and terrorism are justified.
Hey, Axx-wipe Vlasak, maybe "what else can be done" is to refrain from unlawful behavior and continue to try to persuade citizens that you are correct. What is NOT "to be done" is to cross the line to unlawful terroristic acts.
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