Minnesota labs vandalized by animal rights
group
MINNEAPOLIS, April 6 (Reuters) - An attack on laboratories at the
University of Minnesota by a group protesting against the use of animals
for scientific research may have caused millions of dollars in damage,
officials said on Tuesday.
The Animal Liberation Front (ALF) claimed responsibility on the group's
website for the ``nonviolent liberation of 116 animals, from the
University of Minnesota campus.'' The group also said that ``economic
sabotage was employed to decrease the profits to the animal abusers.''
University Police chief Joy Rikala said police were working with the FBI
to find the vandals, who damaged at least one microscope valued at
$50,000. She said police are looking at both state and federal charges.
``Labs that have computer equipment and microscopic equipment were just
trashed...computers were thrown on the floor, graffiti spray-painted on
the walls and computers,'' she said of the vandalism, which occurred
early on Monday.
The graffiti said such things as ``vivisection must end,'' ``research is
fraud,'' and ``vivisectors are murderers,'' Rikala said.
One university spokesman said the damage could reach into the millions
of dollars.
Although ALF has claimed responsibility for freeing the animals, which
included mice, rats and pigeons, no individuals have been linked to the
crime. ``ALF is not a card-carrying membership. There are lots of people
who act in the name of ALF,'' Rikala said.
At one building, neurological research was being done on Alzheimer's and
Parkinson's disease. The damage could set research on Alzheimer's back
two years, researchers said.
Jo Matson, an administrator in the psychology department at the
university, said ``we've lost hours of training,'' of animals used in
psychology experiments. ``That's devastating, especially to graduate
students.''
A spokesperson for the university said one patient who had been treated
at the center for a brain tumor had volunteered to offer a reward for
return of the animals.
--
Judith Richards, London, Ontario, Canada
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