Monday, September 3, 2007

Labor Day Picnic & Protests against Huntingdon Life Sciences

Demo #1 - William Ford III, CEO of General Atlantic Partners & Director of NYSE

After enjoying their picnic in Central Park, activists hit 5th Avenue in commemoration of the 500 animals that are killed by Huntingdon Life Sciences every day. Although Labor Day is a holiday in the USA, the animals never get a day off and this holiday is just like any other day. Full of despair and torment. Activists expressed their anger at the home of William Ford who sits on the Board of Directors of the NYSE and who also acts as Chief Executive Officer of General Atlantic Partners, one of the top shareholders in the NYSE. Many passersby stopped to chat with activists and ask questions about the relationship between the NYSE and the puppy killers of HLS.

Demo #2 - Per Lofberg, President & CEO of Merck Capital Ventures

A short walk away we arrived at our next stop, Per Lofberg’s brownstone home on 92nd Street and Madison Avenue. Lofberg heads up a Merck subsidiary called Merck Capital Ventures and Merck is one of HLS’ premiere customers. Activists named and shamed Per Lofberg and called for a stop to the Merck contracts that result in the killing of beagle dogs, cats and kittens, mice and rats, guinea pigs, hamsters, ferrets and many other animals. We will keep coming back until HLS stops the killing and Merck stops paying them to do the killing.

Demo #3 - Catherine Kinney, President – NYSE

Protests at Catherine Kinney’s have been temporarily on hold as she has been assigned to the NYSE Paris Office after they finalized the merger with Euronext. However, an insider told us that Catherine would be in New York City this week (confirmed by a news report), so we took the opportunity to pay her a visit. Her prominent Fifth Avenue address is a high profile/high visibility location as Central Park visitors throng the streets on the official last day of the summer holiday.

Many stopped to chat and to take flyers detailing how the NYSE betrayed the animals and the public by allowing the listing of LSR (Huntingdon Life Sciences) on the ARCA Exchange. Most vowed to write letters, make phone calls or take other action. Someone from Catherine’s building offered to take a handful of flyers into the building and to distribute them to Catherine neighbors. Bon Voyage, Catherine! No doubt we will be here when you return!!!

Demo #4 - John Guttilla – Partner - Rotenberg, Meril, Solomon, Bertiger & Guttilla

Although technically our day of protests was technically over, 3 activists decided to carry on at the home of scumbag John Guttilla, whose CPA firm allows Huntingdon Life Sciences to continue killing animals each and every day. At 7:00 PM, the height of the dinner rush, activists once again unfurled their large graphic banner in front of the lively Zagat rated Mexican Cantina, Maz Mescal. Much to their dismay, our court ordered distance from John Guttilla’s front door puts us slightly off to the side of this popular 86th Street bistro.

On of course, there is always one loud, rude and unruly drunk in the crowd and Labor Day evening was no exception. Posturing with alcohol induced bravado, a diner charged the protest line screaming that his dinner was being interrupted. A protester nearly swooned from the fumes coming from the inebriated and irrational restaurant patron as the drunk shoved and pushed and tried to snatch the flyers out of her hand. Police came quickly and ensured the safety of the protesters as they continued to educate Guttilla’s neighbors. Of course…..”We’ll be back”, they chanted as they gave away their last flyer, rolled up their banner and headed home after a busy and tiring Labor Day celebration.