Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA) Would Make It a Crime to Engage In Peaceful Protest If Causes Business to Suffer Loss in Profit

This article asks the following question: Could we be the next country to introduce restrictive legislation that prevents animal lover and animal welfare campaigners from protesting?
Not a strange question as this horrible, draconian, blatantly obvious business-focused bill will make us all terrorists. Absolutely ridiculous. Besides pedophiles, it shows you who’s in charge in the government – business.

Here's a little about the bill. And, in the article below, you’ll see a statement by the American Society for the Protection of Animals:

The bill would also make it illegal to expose cruel conditions at facilities such as puppy mills and research labs, if exposure of such conditions even if done lawfully would result in economic damage to the animal enterprise. There is no exemption in the bill to exclude economic damage that results from the disclosure of information about a company's treatment of animals, which is disclosed through public information.

Makes it illegal to protest against or prohibit profitability of any 'animal enterprise'. Effectively making puppy farmers and unprofessional breeders immune from criticism

Here's a good article on what you can do to respond: http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/09/28/18315335.php


Article:

Could Protesting Against Puppy Farming Make You A Terrorist?

http://www.k9magazine.com/viewarticle.php?sid=15&aid=1570

A new law recently introduced in America has made it illegal to protest against or prohibit profitability of any 'animal enterprise'. Effectively making puppy farmers and unprofessional breeders immune from criticism. Could we be the next country to introduce restrictive legislation that prevents animal lover and animal welfare campaigners from protesting?

A representative of the American Society For The Protection Of Animals contacted us with this statement.

"The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA), is a bill that could make it a crime punishable by imprisonment to cause any business classified as an "animal enterprise" to suffer a loss of profit, even if the company's financial decline is the result of legal activities, such as peaceful protests, consumer boycotts or media campaigns. The term animal enterprise would include manufacturers, distributors and sellers of animals or animal products, research facilities, pet stores, breeders, zoos, rodeos, circuses, and animal shelters.

While the ASPCA strongly opposes acts of violence, including vandalism, property damage and trespass, this bill threatens to criminalize as terrorism otherwise lawful, constitutionally protected acts often utilized by citizens and organizations to effect change.

Lawful and peaceful protests that, for example, urge a consumer boycott of a company that does not use humane procedures, could be the target of this provision if the activity resulted in economic damage to the company.

The bill would also make it illegal to expose cruel conditions at facilities such as puppy mills and research labs, if exposure of such conditions even if done lawfully would result in economic damage to the animal enterprise. There is no exemption in the bill to exclude economic damage that results from the disclosure of information about a company's treatment of animals, which is disclosed through public information.

The AETA has already been passed in the Senate, and a vote in the House is expected very soon.