Fur Free Friday New York City

Friday, November 23, 2007

Last year the Coalition of Angry Activists Against Fur or CAAAF was formed and WAR activists joined the coalition to celebrate Fur Free Friday 2006. The event was so successful that this year, WAR was pleased that the same coalition was back with a new and improved name, Coalition of Extremely Angry Aggressive Activists Against Fur.* The Coalition is made up of a variety of groups and individuals who strive to campaign in ways that employ strategy and tactics that have proven to be more effective. Protests tend to be edgy and confrontational.

WAR activists hooked up with CEAAAF (Coalition of Extremely Angry Aggressive Activists Against Fur) en route. CEAAAAF does not announce a meeting place, preferring to notify a small cadre of street activists as to time and location of the meeting. The reason for this is that just like the animals they fight to liberate, these activists refuse to be penned or caged. WAR did release a meeting place and time and, as a result, when they arrived at the first location, Fendi at 677 Fifth Avenue, an unassembled police pen was waiting. Activists left Fendi for an alternate location rather than allow themselves to be caged.

Protests took place at the following and as promised there wasn’t a barricade or police pen in sight, allowing activists to get real close and personal with shoppers as they entered and left various boutiques and fur salons:

The group traveled from location to location with graphic signs of bloody skinned animals shocking many shoppers and pedestrians. Thousands of consumers got a real up close look at what is left when an animal has his or her fur brutally ripped off. Hundreds of flyers and pamphlets were distributed. Any fur wearer who had the misfortune of crossing their path (and there were a few) will not soon forget the experience.

As the sun set on the cold wintery afternoon, activists needed a pit stop. What better place for a bathroom break than Bergdorf Goodman, swanky fur selling department store. Before entering the store, stickers which read “I am an asshole, I wear fur” were distributed. Activists entered the store through various entrances and proceeded in small groups to the store restrooms. Buttons reading “Fuck Fur” and “Have a Heart Don’t Wear Fur” made them the object of much attention. Store security and rent-a-cops were tense, but still polite. Talk about up close and personal, it couldn’t be any closer than that! Left activists plenty to think about for next time!!!

* New Jersey based group, CAAF or Caring Activists Against Fur, initiated legal action against the new Coalition for trademark infringement in 2006. Consequently, the coalition changed names to Coalition of Extremely Angry Aggressive Activists Against Fur and added a legal disclaimer to ensure that no one mistook one group for the other.

** Dennis Basso was visited three times in the course of the day. It is with great pleasure that activists can report an empty showroom and almost no potential customers each of the three times the store was visited.

*** Although PRADA is not using fur in their current collection, that is only because Miuccia. Prada announced that she was “bored with fur” this season. Some groups have announced this as a victory for the animals, we don’t believe “bored with fur” is the equivalent of “fur free”. Until PRADA announces that they will no longer use fur in future collections, they remain a target.

*click here for slide show & video clips*