The following is a newspaper article from the Hartford Courant detailing a recent injunction filed against animal rights activists by the Bank of America. These injunctions come as a result of 3 peaceful protests and the ADL-LI finds BofA's carefree use of slapp litigation as their attempt to shit on the the constitution from which this nation was built. If BofA tries to limit legitimate protests they are inviting less "legitimate" actions to take place. The late John F. Kennedy put it best when he was quoted as saying, "those who make peaceful revolution impossible, make violent revolution inevitable". If BofA wants to go to round 30 this movement will learn to fight dirty.
Bank Fights Protests By Animal-Rights Group
From Hartford Courant Staff Reports
January 29 2006
Bank of America is seeking an injunction against an animal-rights activist group that has protested at the homes of three Hartford area executives in the bank's asset management unit, accusing them of investing client funds in a company that tests products on animals.
Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty, or SHAC, launched the protests as part of a long-running campaign against Huntingdon Life Sciences, which is based in England but also has a test lab in New Jersey. SHAC alleges that Huntingdon abuses animals in the testing of pharmaceutical and consumer products.
SHAC uses protests and the Internet to pressure Huntingdon's clients, investors and suppliers to sever ties with the company. Protests have been reported both in the United States and Europe.
Executives of the bank's Columbia Management Group - Allyn Seymour Jr. of West Hartford, Richard D'Auteuil of Glastonbury and Peter C. Larson of West Hartford - were the targets of the protests, according to court documents.
In papers filed last week in Superior Court in Hartford, the bank charged that members of SHAC are "extremists" and their protests have sometimes turned violent. The bank alleged that SHAC has engaged in vandalism at the homes of executives working for companies targeted by the animal-rights group.
SHAC could not be reached for comment Friday. But leaders of the group have denied turning to violence in their protests, according to published reports.
Bank of America said it is seeking the injunction to protect its employees from harassment, stalking or being threatened with violence. The bank also seeks to prevent the group from trespassing on employees' property. The order also would require SHAC to give local police departments 72 hours notice before staging any protest.
A spokesman said the bank's focus is "the safety and security of our associates and clients." He declined further comment, citing the pending litigation.
Copyright 2006, Hartford Courant