Robin Webb
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| Robin Louis Webb | |
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | Robin Webb |
| Born | December 24, 1944 |
| Origin | Cambridge |
| Occupation(s) | Activist, Spokesperson |
| Years active | 1982– Present |
| Website | Official Site |
Robin Louis Webb[1], (more commonly referred to in the media as Robin Webb), born December 24, 1944[2], was for many years previously a member of the ruling council of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), and a assistant director of Animal Aid.[3]
October 31, 1991 saw Webb take up the position of ALF Press Officer within the UK[4] and remains the Animal Liberation Front's "veteran spokesman" and "has long been the public face of a movement with no formal membership."[5] and has since this time "handled press inquiries about ALF actions in the United Kingdom"[6]. He is believed to be a "leading player in the loose network of animal welfare extremists."[7]
Webb runs the Animal Liberation Press Office in the UK, which releases material to the media on behalf of animal rights activists operating as the Animal Liberation Front (ALF), the Animal Rights Militia (ARM), and the Justice Department.[8] He offers advice to activists and campaigners, promotes veganism, takes calls from the general public about their concerns about individual cruelty cases and wider issues then pointing them to the best place for help.
Webb has stated that his policy as animal liberation press officer is "never to criticize any action, whatever it may be, so long as it has been undertaken with the sincere intention of furthering animal liberation." [3] This has led to criticism that Webb has appeared to condone acts of violence.
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[edit] Background
Webb was born and grew up in Cambridge and has since worked mainly within clerical administration. Before becoming involved with animal rights professionally, he was a training officer within the wheelchair department at the Artificial Limb and Appliance Centre in Cambridge.
[edit] Press office background and controversy
[edit] 1991
In 1991, the Animal Liberation Front Supporters Group (ALFSG), which exists to offer moral and financial support to jailed activists, stopped speaking on behalf of the Animal Liberation Front because of constant police attention, and a decision was made to create the role of ALF press officer as a separate office.[3]
The office's name was changed to the Animal Liberation Press Office after the introduction of the Terrorism Act 2000, in order to protect the office from police attention and to reflect that it issues statements on behalf of ARM and the Justice Department, as well as the ALF. [8]
In response to a request for an injunction by Oxford University, a British court ruled in October 2006 that Webb was a "central and pivotal figure" in the ALF, and that the Animal Liberation Press Office was "not a neutral reporting exercise or even simply a vehicle for apologists for the ALF, but a vital part of the ALF's strategy."[9][10] The court ruled that Webb is bound by an injunction banning protests at the building site of Oxford's new biomedical research center. Webb had argued that, as a journalist, the injunction would impinge upon his freedom of speech; the court ruled that Webb is not a journalist, but a propagandist.[9]
[edit] 1994
In late 1994 Webb and defector activist David Hammond were arrested and charged with possession of a sawed-off shotgun and for passing a Poultry Liberation Organisation (PLO) press release on the contamination of eggs on to the media.. Later Hammond and Webb had a falling out. Webb was remanded in HMP Winchester after being arrested by Hampshire Special Branch.
[edit] 1995
Webb was remanded in custody in 1995 for seven months on a public order charge linked to a food-contamination hoax, but was acquitted at trial.
[edit] 1998
Webb attracted controversy in 1998 during the 68-day hunger strike of British ALF activist Barry Horne, who stopped eating in protest at the British government's failure to hold a public inquiry into animal testing in the UK, something the Labour Party had indicated it would do before coming to power in 1997.
Toward the end of the hunger strike, when it appeared that Horne might die, the Animal Rights Militia (ARM), an extremist animal-rights group, issued a statement through Webb, threatening to assassinate six unnamed and four named individuals should Horne die: Colin Blakemore, a controversial British scientist and now chief executive of the British Medical Research Council, who came to public attention in the 1980s for research using animal models to research blindness; Clive Page of King's College London, a professor of pulmonary pharmacology and now chair of the animal science group of the British Biosciences Federation; Mark Matfield of the Research Defence Society; and Christopher Brown, the owner of Hillgrove Farm in Oxfordshire, who at the time was breeding cats for animal-testing purposes.[11] As a result of the threats, Special Branch stepped up its surveillance of activists, and in particular of Robin Webb.
Shortly after this, footage shot by an independent production company was shown on the Channel 4 Dispatches program in the UK. The film makers had secretly filmed Webb holding meetings with an individual who told Webb he wanted to arrange a bombing, but who was working undercover for the production team. In the footage, Webb appeared to offer advice on how to make a bomb.
The footage had been shot before the Animal Rights Militia had issued its threat against the scientists, and there was no suggestion that Webb was himself engaged in violent action, but when Channel 4 aired the documentary, his apparent willingness to discuss a bombing caused the Animal Liberation Front to be firmly linked in the public mind with the Animal Rights Militia.
Robin Webb of the Animal Liberation Front read out a hit list: if Horne died, ten 'vivisectionists' would be assassinated. Colin Blakemore, Oxford Professor of Physiology, was one. An expert in vision and the early development of the brain, some of Blakemore's research involves experiments on cats, including sewing kittens' eyes shut. He is also a vocal supporter of animal experimentation - and no stranger to threats, a regular recipient of letter bombs and razors from animal rights activists. Animal rights often inspires human extremes.
[edit] 2003
He was arrested at a National Protest at HLS's New Jersey facility and held on $50,000 bail for allegedly being the 51st person in a 50 person protest zone. Since that time he has been stuck in the U.S., missing both the holidays and his birthday with his family, after being forced to turn over his passport as part his bail.
[edit] 2006
In 2006 Oxford University won a new High Court ruling over protests at its new biomedical research laboratory in which a judge found Animal Liberation Front press officer Robin Webb was a " pivotal figure" in the organisation and should be subject to an injunction.[12]
Animal rights activists claimed responsibility for an attack on the London home of a senior manager with pharmaceutical giant, GlaxoSmithKline. Webb described the company as a "legitimate target" because of its animal testing work, and said the intention was to cause economic disruption.[13]
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/staffordshire/4183456.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/3497178.stm
[edit] Attitude toward violence
Further information: Animal Rights Militia, Justice Department (JD), Hunt Retribution Squad, and Revolutionary Cells - Animal Liberation Brigade
Webb himself has appeared to link the ALF and the Animal Rights Militia, together with a third animal-rights group known for violence, the Justice Department. In an interview with No Compromise, the animal-liberation magazine, he said that any vegetarian or vegan who carries out an action that falls within the ALF's three stated aims may claim that action on behalf of the ALF.[14]
He then added: "And if someone wishes to act as the Animal Rights Militia or the Justice Department? Simply put, the third policy of the ALF [to take every reasonable precaution not to harm or endanger life, either human or non-human] no longer applies."[15]
Webb has said that children of animal researchers are legitimate targets of protest. He told the Sunday Herald: "Some say it is morally unacceptable but it is equally unacceptable to use animals in experiments. The children of those scientists are enjoying a lifestyle built on the blood and abuse of innocent animals. Why should they be allowed to close the door on that and sit down and watch TV and enjoy themselves when animals are suffering and dying because of the actions of the family breadwinner? They are a justifiable target for protest."[16]
Webb also said that animal liberation protests would escalate. "There are about 2000 people prepared at any one time to take action for us – more legislation will simply push moderate people to the extremes of the organisation ... When you look at other struggles, there comes a point where non-violent action no longer works. If activists become fed up with non-violent protest then they will take another road and adopt an armed struggle. When you have right on your side, it’s easy to keep going. It really is."[16]
[edit] Quotes
- "Some say it is morally unacceptable but it is equally unacceptable to use animals in experiments. The children of those scientists are enjoying a lifestyle built on the blood and abuse of innocent animals. Why should then be allowed to close the door on that and sit down and watch TV and enjoy themselves when animals are suffering and dying because of the actions of the family breadwinner? They are a justifiable target for protest."
- "When you look at the other struggles, there comes a point where non-violent action no longer works. If activists become fed up with non-violent protest, then they will take another road and adopt an armed struggle. When you have right on your side, it's easy to keep going. It really is."
- "Believe me, you don't have to worry about prison. I've been there - it's a doggle. You can put your feet up and recharge your batteries, and go back out there when you're released and start all over again. You can go to education to read up. I mean someone, someone actually read up on electronics while they were in prison, and went out and started doing electronic incendiary devices. Use your time inside to teach yourself!" - SHAC rally, Edison, New Jersey 11/30/02
- "Huntingdon Life Sciences is going to close. You can't close it with those evil riot police there, but they're not always here! It's not always daylight... Come here when it's dark, when there's no moon, with people you can trust! There are individuals in there who need you to do that! But when you get them out, don't leave the equipment or the building standing either! Smash it! Smash it! Smash it once and for all!" - SHAC rally, East Millstone, New Jersey, outside a medical research facility 12/1/02
- "In England we do have some problems with legislation that prevents us from buying certain products, but over here you don't have the same excuse. You've heard Black Panther leader Mr. Bobby Seale: you're allowed to bear arms. Why are you here now listening to me? You can go out and get animal liberation!" - SHAC rally, Edison, New Jersey 11/30/02
- "Animal liberation is not a campaign. It is not a struggle. It is a war! It is an all-out bloody war!" - (Videotaped at a New Jersey rally by Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty [SHAC] aimed at shutting down Huntingdon Life Sciences, Dec. 1, 2002.)
- "We'll sweep the police aside. We'll sweep the government aside. We'll sweep Huntingdon Life Sciences aside, and we'll raze this evil place right to the ground." - (Videotaped at a New Jersey rally by Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty [SHAC] aimed at shutting down Huntingdon Life Sciences, Dec. 1, 2002.)
- "Although fish and chip shops haven't been targeted before so far as I can remember, they would be considered legitimate targets." - (Often referred to on American anti-ALF websites on the internet[17] as being quoted in "Bomb explodes in packed chip shop", The Guardian, Jan. 12, 2001. However, the actual quote is from the article "Animal protesters may target fish shops", The Independent, Jan. 12, 2001)
- "In my opinion, arson does not fall under the classification of ‘damage to property’ but rather, actions that endanger life. The ALF is proud of its claim never to have harmed human life but arson has, almost undisputedly, taken life, whether it be a mouse, rat or spider. One cannot check every nook and cranny of a department store or broiler shed; the presence of a small creature is not so obvious as that of a human and they do not understand fire alarms and emergency exits. If one does not or cannot take at least as great a care to ensure that spiders are not present as one does to ensure the absence of humans then that is not only endangering life but also practical speciesism." - “Is Violence in the Pursuit of Animal Rights Morally Justifiable?”, Arkangel magazine #4.
- "So, what I'm charged with in plain English is that "Somewhere in the world over a five year period (they're not sure when) I conspired with people (most of whom I don't know) to incite other people (they don't know who) to commit criminal damage (they don't know what) and that the conspiracy continued into the day after we were charged...."
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ a b c "Staying on Target and Going the Distance: An Interview with UK A.L.F. Press Officer Robin Webb", No Compromise, Issue 22, undated, retrieved May 23, 2006
- ^ [3]
- ^ [4]
- ^ [5]
- ^ [6]
- ^ a b "History of the Animal Liberation Press Office", Animal Liberation Supporters' Group, retrieved May 23, 2006
- ^ a b "Oxford wins protest injunction case", Press Association, October 13, 2006.
- ^ [7]
- ^ [8]
- ^ [9][10][11]
- ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4663850.stm
- ^ [12]
- ^ [13]
- ^ a b Johnston, Jennifer. "Of Mice and Men", The Sunday Herald, September 19, 2004.
- ^ [14], [15]
[edit] Further reading
- Webb, Robin. "Animal Liberation - By "Whatever Means Necessary" in Best, Steven. 'Terrorists or Freedom Fighters? Reflections on the Liberation of Animals, 2004.
- Webb, Robin. "Is Violence In The Pursuit Of Animals' Rights Morally Justifiable?" in Arkangel magazine No. 4, Winter 1990
[edit] Interviews
- Vaughan, Claudette. "Making A New World: An Interview with UK A.L.F. Press Officer Robin Webb"", Abolitionist-Online, November 2005.
- Animal liberation front true spies part 2 Robin Webb 'You Tube' interview.
- Staying on Target and Going the Distance: An Interview with U.K. A.L.F. Press Officer Robin Webb, from ‘No Compromise magazine’ Issue 22
- Interview with Animal Voices, February 6, 2003
[edit] Television
- True Spies, episode 3 of 3: 'It Could Happen To You' - BBC Two, 10 November, 2002.
[edit] Other
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