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Documentary Exposes U.S. Government’s War on Animal Rights “Terrorists”

February 17, 2016 by Leave a Comment


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“Investigating and preventing animal rights extremism is one of our highest domestic terrorism priorities. We are committed to working with our partners to disrupt and dismantle these movements; to protect our fellow citizens; and to bring to justice those who commit crimes and terrorism in the name of animal rights.”

Footage of an FBI agent delivering these chilling remarks at a U.S. Senate hearing is just one of many historic moments included in “Activists or Terrorists?,” a half hour Participant Media documentary narrated by Maggie Gyllenhaal that exposes the U.S. government’s tyrannical effort to intimidate and silence animal rights activists. Following is a short clip:

Profiled in the documentary are several activists who have been victims of government repression, including Lauren Gazzola and Andy Stepanian, who were convicted of terrorism and sent to prison for their role in undermining the animal testing behemoth Huntington Life Sciences, and Will Potter, an investigative journalist threatened by the FBI to be put on a domestic terrorist list if he didn’t agree to become an informant.

Will Potter captures factory farm footage with a drone before being confronted by the property owners

Will Potter uses a drone to captures factory farm footage before being confronted by the owners

Also profiled are activist Ryan Shapiro and attorney Jeffrey Light, who have used freedom of information laws to uncover the government’s war on the animal rights movement — a crusade backed by the multi-national corporations that exploit animals.

Andy Stepanian is arrested during a fur protest at Macy's in the lat 90s.

Andy Stepanian is arrested during a fur protest at Macy’s in the late 90s.

“Activists or Terrorists?,” which airs on Friday, February 19 at 10pm ET on Pivot TV, is one of ten episodes in a docs-series called “Truth or Power” about how private institutions and governments violate the public trust. Following is a trailer for the series:

According to the producers, the series “highlights the stories of ordinary people going to extraordinary lengths to expose large-scale injustice: from corporations receiving lucrative government contracts for dangerous private prisons, to governments using data-gathering technology to scoop up huge amounts of information about their citizens.”



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TheirTurn.net Comments

  1. Susanne Strimling says:

    We are the voice of those who cannot speak up for themselves whether they have 4 legs or 2 legs!

  2. Val K says:

    Its Barbaric to call people Terrorists, that are Deffending ANIMALS from torture & all cruelty. I will never stop Careing about Animals ,We have to do it , they have NO Vioce of their own to shout up !!!!! The only thing Animal rights Do wrong is to care about Animals & nothing else ! One day people will look back at all this & see how wrong it is ? Just like they have done with other things like the women that wanted a vote (suffragetts) How many of them was put into prison for standing up for what they felt was right. They was tortured & abused just for getting their words over. & other things that has happened in the past too. Its about time all people opened their eyes to see what is going on out there & not believe every thing the GOVERMENT tells them ?????????

  3. Zizi says:

    Thank you Donny, for bringing this to our attention!!! And while terrorist killers of abortion providers…doctors, innocent people
    who work at Planned Parenthood, are allowed to pass for “kooks”, or simply those who are “pro-life”, principled, compassionate activists who want nothing more than to blow the whistle on corruption, animal abuse and torture are thrown in jail and called “terrorists”! Be sure to check out: http://selectsmart.com/president/views16.html for details about the presidential candidates positions on animal rights issues. It’s time to unite and make our voice heard!

    “As long as there are Slaughterhouses
    there will be Battlefields”
    ~ Leo Tolstoy

    “We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented…”
    ~Elie Wiesel

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