SERA Cycle 3 Introduction and Courses

Project n° 580247-EPP-1-2016-1-FR-EPPKA3-IPI-SOC-IN The Situation Today Since 2008, there has been a rapid decline in animal rights extremism, which is now at an all-time low. Occasionally one may hear about a verbal threat, or some graffiti, but large-scale property damage or attacks on individuals are now unheard of. The extremism of the early 2000s resulted in a public backlash that has made illegal direct action unpopular among even the most committed activists. Extremist Groups The main animal rights extremist groups have been: Animal Liberation Front (ALF) The ALF is an umbrella name for those who wish to take direct action against those who, in the words of its founder, “exploit animals… The long term aim is to increase activities, to escalate to a point where all of these industries are under threat and can’t operate ” 2 . Officially the ALF does not support violence against individuals, however many individuals associated with the movement have been convicted of crimes which either harmed, or risked harming,