Re:'Peace and love' from the vegan who chose violence

[Guest guest]

John Ablewhite, a vicar's son, is a hero in the contrary world of animal rights extremists. It is a world where every prison sentence moves you up the ladder; where the more extreme violence you use, the higher you are regarded. His involvement in Save the Newchurch Guinea Pigs began in 1999 while he was trying to force the closure of Huntingdon Life Sciences. The Animal Liberation Front had already targeted Darley Oaks Farm, "liberating" 100 or so guinea pigs in a night raid, and to Ablewhite the cause seemed perfect. He knew the area, was a supply teacher in the West Midlands and could devote all his time to leading a new campaign. He took with him tried and tested methods of clandestine attack and used them on the people of Newchurch and surrounding villages, organising a loosely run protest into a tightly

organised and violent faction. Yet his upbringing and seeming middle-class respectability appear the antithesis of the illegal and violent road he chose to travel. Ablewhite, 36, became involved in the animal rights movement as a teenager. He gained his teaching qualifications and, in between plotting death threats and grave robbing, worked as a supply teacher at secondary schools. He is considered by police to be one of around 15 ringleaders of the extremist arm of the animal rights movement, willing more than most to go to virtually any lengths for his cause. As a protester, he went under the name of John Holmes. Shaven-haired and 6ft 3in tall, he cuts an imposing figure. In 2001 he was jailed for nine months for attacking the home of Leonard Cass, the brother of the Huntingdon Life Sciences director Brian Cass, throwing stones and paint at it. He has been convicted of

aggravated trespass at Huntingdon Life Sciences and for a string of public order offences relating to protests. At a "victory" march organised last year to celebrate the impending closure of Darley Oaks farm, he said the treatment of the guinea pigs "was on the same moral level as the Holocaust". He added: "And don't forget Goebbels learned from factory farmers and used their methods to execute the Jews." He appears to treat prison as an occupational hazard and seemed upbeat when he wrote to admirers at the Vegan Prisoners Support Group, in December, while on remand in Birmingham. Showing little remorse for his crimes, he thanked them for the 30 Christmas cards he had received that week and concluded: "Peace, Hope and Strength; Love, Liberation and Vegan Evolution! Jonny Ablewhite TB4885." One activist close to the group said Ablewhite had a great belief that by teaching he could shape the thoughts of

the next generation. "There are two sides to him. One is the extremist, the other a guy who's really passionate about teaching. He loves his job." His right-hand man Kerry Whitburn, 36, who lives in Edgbaston, Birmingham, is also no stranger to prison and while on remand found his biggest problem was buying a pair of non-leather shoes to wear. He was first convicted in 1987 and has been a regular before the courts since then. He served a four-month sentence in 2004 in connection with the Newchurch campaign and last year was given 120 hours' community service, again for crimes involving the protest against the Hall family. The activist close to the group said Whitburn was considered by the others as a loose cannon. "No one really had that high an opinion of him and there was an element about him that he just wanted to be part of the gang," he said. "He's had a really hard time

of it in prison. Ablewhite and [John] Smith seem to have understood the consequences of what they've done, but I don't think Kerry did, so things have been really tough for him." Whitburn enlisted the help of his girlfriend, Josephine Mayo, of Chasetown, Staffs. She is thought to have played a much lesser role in the protest and has no previous convictions. John Smith, 39, from Wolverhampton, who also used the name Hughes, is a veteran animal rights campaigner. He was jailed at Manchester Crown Court for stealing a car and driving it through the window of a butcher's shop in 1991. He, too, recently wrote to the VPSG before he was moved from Birmingham prison to Nottingham. Like Ablewhite and Whitburn, his letters are notable for showing no hint of regret. He said: "Thank you for all your work, the vegan nutritional packs you provided making all the difference in here.

Sunflower, pumpkin, sesame seeds, dates, figs, braised tofu and pea protein meant we were left wanting for nothing." Peter H

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[Guest guest]

Similar stuff in yesterday's Guardian here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/animalrights/story/0,,1752168,00.html

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hi Fraggle

 

>so..extreme violence...contrary..extremist....

>and he threw some rocks.....and paint.....and had..egads..protests!!!

>yet..i've been shot at...and thats not extreme...

 

From what I gather, he does seem to be a genuine danger - it seems that he didn't only attack the people farming the Guinea Pigs, but actually sent threatening letters to random people living in the near vicinity who had nothing at all to do with it...

 

BB

Peter