In spite of repeatedly promising to “end carriage rides” in the streets of New York City upon taking office, Mayor Bill de Blasio has failed to take action almost two years into his term. On two occasions during the past week, dozens of activists who campaigned and voted for him took to the streets to demand that the he fulfill his campaign pledge.

Activists groups in NYC stage two protests demanding the Mayor de Blasio fulfill his promise to ban horse-drawn carriages

Jane UnChained filed this report from a protest staged during a fundraiser for the Mayor’s 2017 re-election campaign. Several mainstream media outlets also reported on this protest.

TheirTurn.net documented a second protest which coincided with the four year anniversary of the death of Charlie, a carriage horse who collapsed and died on the street.

The Mayor’s bill to ban horse-drawn carriages is stalled in the City Council. Council members have indicated that they have not taken a position on the bill because they see no reason to alienate one side or the other if the Mayor himself isn’t backing the bill by lobbying them or working to generate public support.

Activists in NYC stage protest to demand that Mayor Bill de Blasio fulfills his promise to ban horse-drawn carriages

In spite of his many public promises to lead the effort to ban horse-drawn carriages, the Mayor has shifted the responsibility for the bill from himself to the advocacy groups and City Council. During a radio interview on August 19th, he said, “What I’d say to every advocate: You already have my vote. Go get the votes in the City Council and solidify the support in the City Council so we can make this change.”

As Mayor de Blasio walks away his campaign pledge to ban horse-drawn carriages, activists, many of whom have been working since 2006 to take the horses off the streets, have pledged to hold him accountable until he fulfills his promise.

If you live in NYC, please contact your Council Member to register your support for the bill to ban horse-drawn carriages.

Following three protests at her office and home and a series of online calls to action, Dr. Laurie Glimcher has resigned from the Board of Trustees of the New York Blood Center (NYBC).

Laurie Glimcher chimp scandal on the cover of the Cornell Daily Sun

In an attempt to disconnect Glimcher’s resignation from the chimpanzee scandal, NYBC and Cornell Medical College have issued statements claiming that she is no longer serving on the board because her term ended. Not only are the statements untrue, but they also conflict with each other.

In a cover story entitled “Weill Cornell Medicine Dean Accused of Chimp Abandonment,” the Cornell Daily Sun reported that Dr. Glimcher “vacated her position at the NYBC because her two-year commitment had expired.”  The NY Blood Center, on the other hand, published a statement which quotes Dr. Glimcher saying, “For the past three years, I have gladly served on the board of NYBC.”

Cornell and NYBC issued conflicting statements about Dr. Glimcher’s length of service on the board, and neither is true.

NYBC’s by-laws state that board members serve a three year term. Dr. Glimcher served just 2 years and 4 months, but NYBC appears to have rounded up to three years in order to state in its press release that she “fulfilled her commitment.” (see graphic below). If NYBC had reported on the true length of her service, then it would have had to disclose that she resigned eight months before her term ended.

NYBC states that Glimcher completed her three year term, but she only served for 2 years and 4 months.

Perhaps Cornell Medical College reported that she served on NYBC’s board for two years because that is closer to the truth, and Dr. Glimcher did not anticipate that advocates would compare the Cornell and NYBC statements or research NYBC’s by-laws to determine the term length for board members.

Dr. Glimcher’s name was removed from the Board of Trustees list on NYBC’s website in late October, eight months before her 3-year term was supposed to end.

In the Cornell Daily Sun article, Dr. Glimcher is quoted as saying that she “can’t provide any insight about these decisions” surrounding the chimps because she joined the board in 2013. That is also inaccurate, as  NYBC made the decision to abandon the chimps in early 2015, long before the Dr. Glimcher resigned from the board.

In a letter to the NY Blood Center, Jane Goodall said the organization has a moral obligation to pay for the chimps’ care.

“If Dr. Glimcher had told the truth — that she resigned from the board because of the protests — and issued a public statement demanding that NYBC reinstate the funding for the chimps, then we would back off,” said Donny Moss, who is working on the grass roots campaign in NYC to hold NYBC accountable. “But she is not taking any responsibility for the chimps abandoned on her watch, and her decision to walk away from the scandal does nothing to help them.”

In its press release announcing Dr. Glimcher’s departure and other updates related to the Board, NYBC states that “18 of its 20 current trustees” would be returning. Why not Dr. Glimcher?

https://youtu.be/Rorv3NBl3F0

On Thursday, November 5th, over 100 activists are staging a protest at NYBC’s 50th anniversary fundraising gala to inform the organization’s donors that NYBC board members and executives left 66 chimpanzees to die on islands in Liberia with no food or water after kidnapping them from the jungle, breeding them in captivity, conducting invasive research experiments on them, earning $500 million in royalties off of the research and promising to provide them with lifelong care.

New York Blood Center executives promised to provide its chimpanzees with lifelong care.

Please join the Facebook page: New York Blood Center: Do the Right Thing to participate in the online actions. If you live in New York City, please join the protests targeting New York Blood Center board members at their homes and offices.

With no natural food on the islands where they were relocated, the chimps eagerly await the delivery of food

While promoting her new book, How To Be A Bad Bitch, at a Barnes & Noble in New York City, Amber Rose, the 32-year old hip hop celebrity, was targeted by animal rights activists who loudly protested her consumption of fur until they were aggressively ejected from the Barnes & Noble store.

A security guard pushes anti-fur activist Angela D. out of line after she asks Amber Rose why she promotes the fur industry.

The actress, model, singer and fashion designer is perhaps best know for having dated rap star and fashion designer Kayne West, who frequently wears full length fur coats.

Kayne West & Amber Rose wear full length fur coats

The anti-fur activists – Rob Banks, Jaime Lee, Angela D. and Michelle – were quickly pushed from the immediate area of the book signing into an adjacent section of the store, but their anti-fur messages  – “anally electrocuted and skinned alive” – could be still be heard by Ms. Rose and the dozens of fans waiting in line to meet her.

Amber Rose has worn full length fur coats and other fur garments in public

Anti-fur activist Rob Banks, who, in recent months has staged high profile protests against Kim Kardashian and Rihanna said, “As expected, Ms. Rose’ fans were not at all happy to see us, but the disruption – and the reason behind it – will be what they remember most from the book signing. And perhaps some of them will take a moment to think about what they heard us say.”

A member of Amber Rose’ entourage sticks his tongue out at activists as her SUV leaves Barnes & Noble in Tribeca

Ironically, Amber Rose appeared in a reality TV show about Russell Simmons, the vegan hip hop mogul who routinely advocates for animal rights. Perhaps neither knew of the other’s stance on fur when the episode was shot in 2010.

Anti-fur activists disrupted Amber Rose’ book signing using this and other posters

Chaos unfolded when activists pushed back against Cornell Medical College security guards who tried to stop a legal protest against the school’s dean, Dr. Laurie Glimcher. As a member of the board of the New York Blood Center (NYBC), Dr. Glimcher signed off on the organization’s plan to abandon 66 chimpanzees in Liberia with no food or water.

Activists have staged three protests at Cornell Medical College demanding that Dr. Glimcher reinstate funding for NYBC’s ex-lab chimps. During the first two protests, students, faculty and staff exiting the building were instructed by school officials to ignore the activists, and they were given handouts exonerating Dr. Glimcher.

A man exiting Cornell spits on an activist protesting Dr. Laurie Glimcher

When that strategy backfired, by triggering a louder and more disruptive activist presence, Cornell’s security team diverted people leaving the premises to a side exit and then created a human blockade to keep activists several hundred feet away. The school’s approach again backfired, as the increased repression only served to generate more outrage from both the activists and people exiting Cornell who were disturbed by the commotion.

Cornell security guards block activists from protesting on a public sidewalk

NYBC left its former chimps on six islands near Monrovia, the country’s capital, with no food or water after experimenting on them for 30 years; earning $500 million in royalties off of the research; and promising to provide them with lifelong care.

In a letter to the NY Blood Center, Jane Goodall said the organization has a “moral obligation” to pay for the chimps’ care.

Please join the Facebook page: New York Blood Center: Do the Right Thing to participate in the online actions. If you live in New York City, please join the protests targeting New York Blood Center board members at their homes and offices.

Activists demand that NYBC board member Laurie Glimcher reinstates funding for the group’s ex-lab chimps

When animal rights activists with Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) planned a disruption at a NYC Wine & Food Festival symposium celebrating the consumption of meat, even they didn’t anticipate shutting it down. But that’s exactly what happened during the Q&A at the sold out event hosted by the Wall Street Journal.

Several minutes after the activists stood up – one by one –  to draw attention to the violence inherent in the meat industry, attendees in the audience began filing out of the auditorium.

Angry audience member grabs poster out of activist’s hands

An organizer of the event, who was visibly exasperated by the disruption, stood up and said “No one here is listening to what you are saying.”  Based on the number of people who left, however, her remark was incorrect.

“While some people would urge us to be nice, our goal at this event was to send a message that, if you host an event that celebrates violence, then you will be disrupted by nonviolent direct action,” said Zach Groff, an organizer with Direct Action Everywhere.

A visibly frustrated event organizer fails to silence the DxE activists

In its advertisement for the event, the NYC Wine & Food Festival writes, “Putting the environmental and health considerations aside, we’ll focus on the culinary and cultural aspects of eating meat, its enduring appeal and shifting significance.” Notably absent from the ad was the “ethical consideration.” The activists, however, ensured that every attendee left the room thinking about the ethics of slaughtering animals.

Exasperated audience members leave meat symposium during DxE disruption

To learn more and/or join DxE, please visit Direct Action Everywhere.