Lobster Liberation Front

The Lobster Liberation Front (LLF) is an animal rights campaign which first appeared on the coasts of Dorset in 2004, later spreading to Wales, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/3834055.stm "Lobster pot sabotage inquiry"] , "BBC News", 24 June, 2004.] Scotland, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4858028.stm "Lobster liberation claims probed"] , "BBC News", 30 March, 2006.] and some European countries. [ [http://www.directaction.info/news_aug07a_05.htm BITE BACK Magazine, August, 2007 ] ] [ [http://www.directaction.info/news_sept01_05.htm BITE BACK Magazine, September, 2005 ] ] [ [http://www.sarconline.co.uk/lobsters/liberation/index.html Untitled-1 ] ] Their methods include liberating lobsters and sabotaging lobster pots or fishing boats.

Philosophy

The group uses the same leaderless-resistance model as the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) and Earth Liberation Front (ELF), which consists of small, autonomous, covert cells acting independently. A cell may consist of just one person.

The LLF consider boiling lobsters alive (the traditional method for cooking them) unacceptable and use direct action to prevent it. As lobsters possess a rudimentary nervous system, the LLF believe they feel pain and thus boiling them is unnecessarily cruel. [ [http://www.lobsterlib.com/fascinating.html "Lobster Liberation - Lobsters are Fascinating Animals"] , "SARC"] This was challenged by a Norwegian study released in 2005, which suggested that lobsters cannot feel pain due to their diminished nervous capacity. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/animalrights/story/0,11917,1408050,00.html "Scientists say lobsters feel no pain"] , "Guardian Unlimited", February 8, 2005.] A 2007 British study contradicted that conclusion, suggesting that crustaceans do feel pain, and that pain responses are crucial to any organism's survival. [Sample, Ian. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2007/nov/08/animalrights.sciencenews?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront "Blow for fans of boiled lobster: crustaceans feel pain, study says"] , "The Guardian", November 8, 2007.]

Direct action

2004

In March, the village of Worth Matravers, Dorset was targeted when the individuals twice wrecked a fisherman's boat and set lobsters free. The actions were reported to the Southern Animal Rights Coalition, sent anonymously by the LLF. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/dorset/3939111.stm "Activists' 'war' to save lobsters"] , "BBC News", July 30, 2004.] Shortly following this action, one thousand pounds worth of damage was made in June when it was presumed activists targeted a fisherman's potts in Cardigan and in Crymych, Wales. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/3834055.stm "Lobster pot sabotage inquiry"] , "BBC News", 24 June, 2004.]

2005

Actions were then reported to Bite Back magazine from the LLF, claiming the liberation of lobsters and sabotaging of fishing property in Italy and Sweden in 2005 as well as Turkey. [ [http://www.directaction.info/news_aug07a_05.htm BITE BACK Magazine ] ] [ [http://www.directaction.info/news_sept01_05.htm BITE BACK Magazine ] ] [ [http://www.sarconline.co.uk/lobsters/liberation/index.html Untitled-1 ] ] A year later there was also a large number of fisherman's pots damaged in Stranraer, Scotland, with graffiti left at the scence indicating the group had carried out the attacks. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4858028.stm "Lobster liberation claims probed"] , "BBC News", 30 March, 2006.]

References

External links

* [http://www.sarconline.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=110 "Post by the LLF" on SARC's website]
* [http://www.sarconline.co.uk/lobsters/index.html Lobster Liberation Page]
* [http://www.directaction.info/ Bite Back Magazine]