“Animal Rights Extremists: Terrorism or Protest” — Vice, 2019, 17:00 — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vp8-rYqCAnM
You are probably familiar with PETA and GreenPeace, but take some time to get to know Direct Action Everywhere. This newer animal-rights group is testing the boundaries of legally-permissible activism with many members subjected to arrest. We see them attempt to rescue sick chickens from an egg farm in California, though the farm’s owner makes a compelling case against their extreme tactics. Do you support DxE’s actions? What separates “activism” from “terrorism” in terms of these controversial protests? Would your answers change if the animals in question were more or less “charismatic” in American society?
From the video’s description: Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) is an animal liberation group that is notorious for its large-scale actions which sometimes involve illegal tactics such as civil disobedience and trespassing. DxE sees their actions as essential to forwarding their cause of exposing injustices in the Animal Agriculture System. However, some of DxE’s opponents, especially those who have been directly targeted by DxE, have labeled them as actual terrorists after their aggressive occupations and protests. VICE documents as DxE embark on their largest actions to date: occupying an egg farm in Petaluma, CA and removing chickens from the property. VICE also speaks with the co-owner of the egg farm who claims that DxE’s actions are not only illegal, but detrimental to the possibility of a constructive dialogue between Animal Rights Activists and members of the Animal Agriculture Industry.