VeganRevolution | Peter Young @VeganRevolution | Uploaded January 2015 | Updated October 2024, 4 hours ago.
In the Autumn of 1997, Peter Young and a friend set off from Washington with the plan to release animals from fur farms in the Midwest on their way to Florida. A two-week period in October saw the release of at least 8,000 mink & fox from six fur farms in Iowa, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, along with the destruction of the breeding records at each farm.
On October 28, police officers pulled over Young and Samuel in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, after officers received a call from fur farmers who suspected that the two were surveying farms. Their vehicle was impounded, and a search warrant application was granted the following day. The search of their vehicle yielded animal rights literature, fur farm addresses, and other suspicious items.
In September 1998, a federal grand jury indicted Young and his friend Samuel, each on four charges of "Extortion by Interfering with Interstate Commerce", and two charges of "Animal Enterprise Terrorism".
Peter Young remained wanted by the FBI for over 7 years.
Samuel was arrested on September 4, 1999 in Belgium and was extradited to the United States to face trial. He agreed to cooperate with the government in exchange for a reduced sentence of two years. Young was arrested in San Jose, California on March 21, 2005 on charges of shoplifting CDs from a local Starbucks and was extradited to Wisconsin to face trial for the fur farm raids.
In August 2005, prosecutors were forced to drop the extortion charges against Young because a Supreme Court ruling had changed the definition of "extortion".
In September 2005, Young pleaded guilty to conspiracy to release mink from six fur farms in South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Iowa; and the actual release of 2400 mink from a farm in Medford, Wisconsin.
Prosecutors argued that Young had acted on behalf of the Animal Liberation Front, but Young's attorney denied this.
Young was sentenced to two years in federal prison; 360 hours of community service at a charity "to benefit humans and no other species"; $254,000 restitution; and one year probation. He was released from Victorville, California's federal prison on February 1, 2007. Before being sentenced, he told the court, addressing fur farmers, that he would "forever mark those nights on your property as the most rewarding experience of my life."
This is his talk on rationalising fear during direct action, which he gave in Luxembourg at the IARC 2014
In the Autumn of 1997, Peter Young and a friend set off from Washington with the plan to release animals from fur farms in the Midwest on their way to Florida. A two-week period in October saw the release of at least 8,000 mink & fox from six fur farms in Iowa, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, along with the destruction of the breeding records at each farm.
On October 28, police officers pulled over Young and Samuel in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, after officers received a call from fur farmers who suspected that the two were surveying farms. Their vehicle was impounded, and a search warrant application was granted the following day. The search of their vehicle yielded animal rights literature, fur farm addresses, and other suspicious items.
In September 1998, a federal grand jury indicted Young and his friend Samuel, each on four charges of "Extortion by Interfering with Interstate Commerce", and two charges of "Animal Enterprise Terrorism".
Peter Young remained wanted by the FBI for over 7 years.
Samuel was arrested on September 4, 1999 in Belgium and was extradited to the United States to face trial. He agreed to cooperate with the government in exchange for a reduced sentence of two years. Young was arrested in San Jose, California on March 21, 2005 on charges of shoplifting CDs from a local Starbucks and was extradited to Wisconsin to face trial for the fur farm raids.
In August 2005, prosecutors were forced to drop the extortion charges against Young because a Supreme Court ruling had changed the definition of "extortion".
In September 2005, Young pleaded guilty to conspiracy to release mink from six fur farms in South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Iowa; and the actual release of 2400 mink from a farm in Medford, Wisconsin.
Prosecutors argued that Young had acted on behalf of the Animal Liberation Front, but Young's attorney denied this.
Young was sentenced to two years in federal prison; 360 hours of community service at a charity "to benefit humans and no other species"; $254,000 restitution; and one year probation. He was released from Victorville, California's federal prison on February 1, 2007. Before being sentenced, he told the court, addressing fur farmers, that he would "forever mark those nights on your property as the most rewarding experience of my life."
This is his talk on rationalising fear during direct action, which he gave in Luxembourg at the IARC 2014
