The Revolutionary Cells – Animal Liberation Brigade (RCALB), known simply as Animal Liberation Brigade (ALB), is a name used by animal liberationists who advocate the use of freedom and a

diversity of tactics Diversity of tactics is a phenomenon wherein a social movement makes periodic use of force for disruptive or Self-defense, defensive purposes, stepping beyond the limits of nonviolent resistance, but also stopping short of total militarization. I ...

within the

animal liberation movement The animal rights (AR) movement, sometimes called the animal liberation, animal personhood, or animal advocacy movement, is a social movement that seeks an end to the rigid moral and legal distinction drawn between human and non-human animals ...

, whether

non-violent Nonviolence is the personal practice of not causing harm to others under any condition. It may come from the belief that hurting people, animals and/or the environment is unnecessary to achieve an outcome and it may refer to a general philosoph ...

or not. As part of a

praxis Praxis may refer to: Philosophy and religion * Praxis (process), the process by which a theory, lesson, or skill is enacted, practised, embodied, or realised * Praxis model, a way of doing theology * Praxis (Byzantine Rite), the practice of fai ...

, the intention is to destroy

oppressive Oppression is malicious or unjust treatment or exercise of power, often under the guise of governmental authority or cultural opprobrium. Oppression may be overt or covert, depending on how it is practiced. Oppression refers to discrimination ...

institutions, describing an ''endgame'' for

animal abuse Cruelty to animals, also called animal abuse, animal neglect or animal cruelty, is the infliction by omission (neglect) or by commission by humans of suffering or Injury, harm upon non-human animals. More narrowly, it can be the causing of harm ...

rs.Revolutionary Cells Claims Explosion - Releases communique/guidelines
''

America's Most Wanted ''America's Most Wanted'' (often abbreviated as ''AMW'') is an American television program whose first run was produced by 20th Television, and second run is under the Fox Alternative Entertainment division of Fox Corporation. At the time of i ...

'', 30 August 2008. The Revolutionary Cells is not a group, but an example of a

leaderless resistance Leaderless resistance, or phantom cell structure, is a Rebellion, social resistance strategy in which small, independent groups (Clandestine cell system, covert cells), or individuals (a solo cell is called a "Lone wolf (terrorism), lone wolf"), ch ...

, as a banner for

autonomous In developmental psychology and moral, political, and bioethical philosophy, autonomy, from , ''autonomos'', from αὐτο- ''auto-'' "self" and νόμος ''nomos'', "law", hence when combined understood to mean "one who gives oneself one's ow ...

covert cell A clandestine cell system is a method for organizing a group of people (such as resistance fighters, sleeper agents, mobsters, or terrorists) such that such people can more effectively resist penetration by an opposing organization (such as ...

s who carry out

direct action Direct action originated as a political activist term for economic and political acts in which the actors use their power (e.g. economic or physical) to directly reach certain goals of interest, in contrast to those actions that appeal to oth ...

similar to the

Animal Rights Militia The Animal Rights Militia (ARM) is a banner used by animal rights activists who engage in direct action utilizing a diversity of tactics that ignores the Animal Liberation Front's policy of taking all necessary precautions to avoid harm to human ...

(ARM). Founded in the United States, after bombing

Chiron In Greek mythology, Chiron ( ; also Cheiron or Kheiron; ) was held to be the superlative centaur amongst his brethren since he was called the "wisest and justest of all the centaurs". Biography Chiron was notable throughout Greek mythology ...

and

Shaklee Shaklee Corporation is an American manufacturer and distributor of natural nutrition supplements, beauty products, and household products. The company is based in Pleasanton, California with global operations in Canada, China, Indonesia, Japan, ...

's corporate offices in 2003, activists have since used the banner to firebomb vehicles and threaten to send

letter bombs A letter bomb, also called parcel bomb, mail bomb, package bomb, note bomb, message bomb, gift bomb, present bomb, delivery bomb, surprise bomb, postal bomb, or post bomb, is an explosive device sent via the mail, postal service, and designed ...

to individuals in the California area. Targets have included corporate customers of

animal testing Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation, animal research, and ''in vivo'' testing, is the use of non-human animals in experiments that seek to control the variables that affect the behavior or biological system under study. This ...

laboratory

Huntingdon Life Sciences Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS) was a contract research organisation (CRO) founded in 1951 in Cambridgeshire, England. It had two laboratories in the United Kingdom and one in the United States. With over 1,600 staff, it was until 2015 the larges ...

and animal researchers at

UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California St ...

and the

California National Primate Research Center The California National Primate Research Center (CNPRC) is a federally funded biomedical research facility, dedicated to improving human and animal health, and located on the University of California, Davis, campus. The CNPRC is part of a network o ...

. The

FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and its principal Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement age ...

issued an arrest warrant for Daniel San Diego for his alleged association with the cell responsible for the 2003 bombings, but he has not yet been caught. He is therefore wanted for his suspected involvement in

property destruction Property damage (or cf. criminal damage in England and Wales) is damage or destruction of real or tangible personal property, caused by negligence, willful destruction, or act of nature. It is similar to vandalism and arson (destroying proper ...

crime.Daniel San Diego - Fugitive
, ''

'', 30 August 2008.Daniel Andreas San Diego, wanted by the FBI
. Retrieved 17 August 2007.

Philosophy

Guidelines

The Revolutionary Cells guidelines was posted on the ''

Bite Back ''Bite Back'' is a Malaysian-registered website and magazine that promotes the cause of the animal liberation movement, and specifically the Animal Liberation Front (ALF).Animal Liberation Front The Animal Liberation Front (ALF) is an international, Leaderless resistance, leaderless, decentralized political and social resistance movement that engages in and promotes non-violent direct action in protest against incidents of animal cruelt ...

(ALF), which consists of small, autonomous, covert terror cells acting independently. A cell may consist of just one person. According to the

Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism The Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism (MIPT) is a non-profit organization founded in response to the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. Supported by Department of Homeland Security and other government grant funds, it conducted research ...

, the

Front Front may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''The Front'' (1943 film), a 1943 Soviet drama film * ''The Front'', 1976 film Music * The Front (band), an American rock band signed to Columbia Records and active in the 1980s and e ...

describes itself as ''"an international coalition fighting injustice"''. The Institute's knowledge Base describes it as an ''"unusually violent animal-rights terrorist movement ... with a penchant for hyperbole and casting about pretensions of power and importance."''Revolutionary Cells Animal Liberation Brigade Group Profile
''MIPT Terrorism Knowledge Base'', retrieved, 17 August 2007. Oren Segal, co-director of

Anti-Defamation League The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), formerly known as the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith, is an international Jewish non-governmental organization based in the United States specializing in civil rights law. It was founded in late Septe ...

's Center on Extremism, believes the group consists of the same few ''"lone wolves"'' that carry out actions in the name of the ALF and

Earth Liberation Front The Earth Liberation Front (ELF), also known as "Elves" or "The Elves", is the collective name for autonomous individuals or covert cells who, according to the ELF Press Office, use "economic sabotage and guerrilla warfare to stop the exploitatio ...

(ELF), ''"the names are interchangeable ... they're going to rename themselves depending on what actions they're doing."''Range McDonald, Patrick
Monkey madness at UCLA
, ''LA Weekly'', 8 August 2007. The existence of activists calling themselves the Revolutionary Cells or Animal Rights Militia (ARM), another name used to inflict violence, reflects a struggle within the Animal Liberation Front and the animal rights movement in general, between those who believe violence and terror tactics are justified, and those who insist the movement should reject it in favor of non-violent resistance. Lee, Ronnie
Controversial Actions
, ''

No Compromise (magazine) ''No Compromise'' was a San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States-based bi-annual animal rights magazine,Steven Best, Best, Steven and Best & Nocella. ''Terrorist or Freedom Fighters? Reflections on the Liberation of Animals'', La ...

'', issue #23.

Extensional self-defense

Steven Best Steven Best (born December 1955) is an American philosopher, writer, speaker and activist. His concerns include animal rights, species extinction, human overpopulation, ecological crisis, biotechnology, liberation politics, terrorism, mass media ...

has coined the term "extensional self-defense" to describe actions carried out in defense of animals by human beings acting as "proxy agents." He argues that, in carrying out acts of extensional self-defense, activists have the moral right to engage in acts of sabotage or even violence. Extensional self-defense is justified, he writes, because animals are "so vulnerable and oppressed they cannot fight back to attack or kill their oppressors." Best, Steven
"Who's Afraid of Jerry Vlasak?"
, ''

Animal Liberation Press Office Animal Liberation Press Offices relay anonymous communiques, photos, and videos to the media about direct action undertaken by the Animal Liberation Front (ALF), Animal Rights Militia (ARM), Revolutionary Cells – Animal Liberation Brigade, Jus ...

''. Best argues that the principle of extensional self-defense mirrors the penal code statues known as the "

necessity defense In the criminal law of many nations, necessity may be either a possible justification or an exculpation for breaking the law. Defendants seeking to rely on this defense argue that they should not be held liable for their actions as a crime ...

," which can be invoked when a defendant believes that the illegal act was necessary to avoid imminent and great harm. He also argues that is not just a theory, but policy in some African countries where governments hire armed soldiers to protect endangered wildlife from

poachers Poaching has been defined as the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals, usually associated with land use rights. Poaching was once performed by impoverished peasants for subsistence purposes and to supplement meager diets. It was set a ...

who wish to sell their body parts in international markets:

"Pacifists cannot stop poachers, but bullets can, and while many measures must be taken to protect endangered species, right now armed soldiers are the best protection rhinos and elephants have against murderous, weapon-wielding poachers."

In testimony to the Senate in 2005,

Jerry Vlasak Jerry Vlasak (born c. 1958) is an American animal rights activist and former trauma surgeon. He is a press officer for the North American Animal Liberation Press Office, a former director of the Animal Defense League of Los Angeles, and a forme ...

stated that he regarded violence against Huntingdon Life Sciences as an example of extensional self-defense.

Actions

Pipe bombs

The RCALB took credit for its first action on 27 August 2003, when two "

pipe bombs A pipe bomb is an improvised explosive device which uses a tightly sealed section of pipe filled with an explosive material. The containment provided by the pipe means that simple low explosives can be used to produce a relatively huge explo ...

filled with an

ammonium nitrate Ammonium nitrate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is a white crystalline salt consisting of ions of ammonium and nitrate. It is highly soluble in water and hygroscopic as a solid, although it does not form hydrates. It is ...

" were placed at Chiron Corporation's offices in

Emeryville, California Emeryville is a city located in northwest Alameda County, California, in the United States. It lies in a corridor between the cities of Berkeley and Oakland, with a border on the shore of San Francisco Bay. The resident population was 12,905 as o ...

. Both devices were packed with nails to act as shrapnel. Chiron was targeted because of a contract with

, a

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

-based animal testing contractor. A group calling itself ''Revolutionary Cells of the Animal Liberation Brigade'' e-mailed a statement to reporters taking credit for the bombing which was also sent to the ''

Bite Back ''Bite Back'' is a Malaysian-registered website and magazine that promotes the cause of the animal liberation movement, and specifically the Animal Liberation Front (ALF).Chiron Blast Claimed by the Animal Liberation Brigade
''Bite Back'', 29 August 2007 One of the bombs exploded an hour after the first, although no casualties resulted from the second blast, as the second device was discovered and the area cleared before the explosion.

Office bombing

In September 2003, the RCALB took responsibility for another bombing, this time at the offices of Shaklee Inc. in

Pleasanton, California Pleasanton is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. Located in the Amador Valley, it is a suburb in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 79,871 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. In 200 ...

. Shaklee was targeted because its parent company,

Yamanouchi Pharmaceutical is a Japanese multinational pharmaceutical company, formed on 1 April 2005 from the merger of and . On February 5, 2020, the company announced management changes effective from April 1, 2020. Astellas is a member of the Mitsubishi UFJ Finan ...

, does business with HLS.The Law Enforcement Agency Resource Network
The attackers are said to be linked to Daniel Andreas San Diego, who was featured on ''America's Most Wanted'' and has been placed on the

's most wanted terrorists list. A statement was again released from the group to ''Bite Back'' this time also including their manifesto. It was thought the bomb was this intended to cause harm, as nails flew out ''"at a speed of 100 miles an hour"'', although again no one was harmed.

Incendiary device

On 24 June 2007, an explosive device was placed under a car belonging to Arthur Rosenbaum, a pediatric

ophthalmologist Ophthalmology ( ) is a surgery, surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders. An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care. Followin ...

who carries out animal experimentation with cats and rhesus monkeys at the

Jules Stein Eye Institute The Jules Stein Eye Institute, founded by MCA Inc., MCA founder Jules C. Stein, Jules Stein, functions as the department of ophthalmology for the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. References Additional references"Doheny Eye Institute and Ju ...

at UCLA. The device failed to explode because of a faulty fuse, but was still claimed by the Animal Liberation Brigade who called for ''"an end to systematic violence and oppression"''.anonymous communique
''

Bite Back ''Bite Back'' is a Malaysian-registered website and magazine that promotes the cause of the animal liberation movement, and specifically the Animal Liberation Front (ALF).Norman Abrams Norman Abrams (born July 7, 1933) is an American academic, and Professor Emeritus at the UCLA School of Law. He succeeded Albert Carnesale on 30 June 2006 as interim-chancellor of the University of California, Los Angeles The University of ...

, said the university "remains steadfast in its commitment to the lawful use of laboratory animals in research for the benefit of society."

Letter bombs

Although no suspicious packages have yet been found, RCALB claimed in January 2009 to ''

Indybay The San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center, commonly known as Indybay, is the San Francisco Bay Area branch of the Independent Media Center, an all-volunteer organization which operates a community news website, ''Indybay.org'', and in June ...

''UC Davis Receives Mail Bomb Threat
, '' News10'', 12 January 2009. that they sent two

UC Davis The University of California, Davis (UC Davis, UCD, or Davis) is a public land-grant research university near Davis, California. Named a Public Ivy, it is the northernmost of the ten campuses of the University of California system. The institut ...

animal researchers

because of their work at the

. One of the researchers targeted said, ''"It worries me a little bit ... I mean, anytime someone threatens you physically I think it causes worry."'' The Animal Liberation Brigade said in a communique re-released by the

that the act was not a hoax, with officials at the primate center claiming threats and protests have happened before and were unacceptable.Communiqué from the Revolutionary Cells, Animal Liberation Brigade
,

, ''10 January 2009''.

Vehicle firebombed

In the early hours of 7 March 2009, the Animal Liberation Brigade once again targeted UCLA. This time setting ablaze and destroying a car belonging to researcher J. David Jentsch. The UCLA Chancellor described the latest attack as "reprehensible", with the University raising the reward for information leading to the arrest of the activists to nearly $500,000.

References

External links

Revolutionary Cells: Communiqué/Guidelines

North American Animal Liberation Press Office

Bite Back Magazine

{{DEFAULTSORT:Revolutionary Cells - Animal Liberation Brigade Animal Liberation Front Eco-terrorism Left-wing militant groups in the United States