STORY about Direct ActionEducationEnvironmentSolidarity posted on November 29, 2011 by maximwinther
Fur Free Friday Highlights Vestiges of Colonialism and Exploitation!
Demo draws attention to animal cruelty in Vancouver's 'fashion' industry
Snowflake = animal cruelty
Snowflake = animal cruelty
Yedina = animal cruelty
Holt Renfrew = animal cruelty
Pappas = animal cruelty
HBC = animal cruelty
Entering the HBC
Taking the message to the shoppers @ HBC
Fur Salon at the HBC
Fur @ HBC
Fur @ HBC
Also posted by maximwinther:
Also in Solidarity:
On Friday, November 25th, a group of Animal Rights activists took to the streets to stand against the torture and brutality inflicted upon innocent animals by the Fur industry and to march in solidarity with activists around the globe as they fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. This day of mass mobilization is called Fur Free Friday, an annual day of action against the Fur trade, and is the most nationally recognized day of action for animal advocates. Their message was clear: The Fur industry is not only barbaric, inhumane, and unsustainable, it's malicious and savage practices are severly speciesest in nature as they put human greed before the lives of the innocent. For this reason, activists stand together in solidarity with the Animal Nations to put a stop to this trechery once and for all.
Our first stop was a clothing store called Yedina. Yedina has been in business since 2004, and boasts itself as a local business contributing to the community. Activists have politely requested they cease and desist their sale of fur through letter campaigns, but the store refuses to comply. Our visit there is the next attempt to educate the store owners and employees about the realities of the Fur Industry in the hopes that they reconsider our request. we will continue to return until they do.
Second on the list was Holt Renfrew. Holt Renfrew has been around for 170 years and was at the forefront of the Canadian Fur Trade. Their website boasts being "furriers to the crown" and shows a timeline of attrocity and murder through the chonological depiction of their involvement in the Fur Industry. Activists marched through the store, alerting consumers of the crimes against animals commited by the store, and were actually thanked by one store clerk for our appearance.
Our third stop was Snowflake Furs. Snowflake has been in business since 1979 and as been one of the longest running battles for Animal Rights activists in Vancouver. They have defiantly refused to heed requests to stop selling the skins of innocent animals, even after a campaign against them had the store removed from the Hotel Vancouver. They state on their website: "Furs have always been featured at Snowflake. Even in the years when selling fur was unpopular with environmentalists, the company supported the Canadian fur industry". Knowing full well that what they are doing is supporting murder, they have equipped themselves with a private security guard and on our day of action had 3 VPD officers attending. We shared our voices of dissent with them and promised to return until they stop profiting off animal slaughter. This is where we picked up a police escort that stayed with us for the duration of our march.
Our forth place of action was Pappas Furs. Pappas has been open since 1913 and actually advertises "eco-friendly and humane treatment" of the animals they kill. As animals in the Fur Industry are imprisoned, analy electrocuted and skinned alive, they seem to be quite delusional as to the meaning of "humane". We did not enter the store, as by this time we had a police contingent of about 8 officers, but stood our ground outside to alert the owners that their store exists with the blood of innocent life, and we will not give up our fight until they no longer are in business.
Our final visit was the Hudson's Bay Company. The Hudson's Bay Company was instrumental in the colonization and exploitation of Turtle Island and its inhabitants. The company has not only been built from the blood of defenseless animals, but also from the decimation of indigenous populations throughout the nation, and their crimes are constantly ignored by the average consumer. We decided to enter the store and find their fur section in the hopes of educating anyone considering a purchase. On the fur floor, we successfully intercepted a woman interested in the coats and also engaged the store clerks in active discussion over the brutality of the Fur Industry. As we attempted to exit, we were intercepted by a volitile security guard who threatened arrest and promised "you're going down!" if we ever returned. We responded by picketing the entrances while vocally protesting the attrocities of the Bay. We promised to return as often as we could.
Murdering innocent animals for fashion is a disgusting trend, and the Fur Industry will say anything to deflect the realities of its practices. Fur is not green, as the chemicals are detrimental to the environment, and it is not humane, as the imprisonment, malnurishment, torture and murder of these beautiful creatures is simply a massacre. We will stand togethere and continue to fight until every single fur farm is shut down, every animal is free from laboratories, and the slaughterhouses cease to exist. We will stand in solidarity with our non-humyn brothers and sisters and continue to speak for those who have no voice. Total Liberation is the only solution.
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