"On the morning of Wednesday 22 June 2011, 12 Spanish activists were arrested in Madrid, Asturias, Vizcaya and Galicia, including members of the organisations Animal Equality and Equanimal.
The activists were detained, and taken to Santiago de Compostela court, where they were accused of offences against the environment, public disorder, and criminal association. Many years’ worth of investigation and campaign materials were taken by the police from their homes, also computers and equipment.
These raids were ordered by the Judge from the Magistrate's Court, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain, in relation to the release of 20,000 minks in 2007 from a farm in Santiago de Compostela. Both organisations deny having any involvement in these actions, although they do not condemn them either.
The arrests of these 12 activists represent a clear attack by the fur industry against animal activists for highlighting the horrors of a trade where gassings, mutilations and captivity-induced suffering of mink on fur farms are inherent and widespread. Both Animal Equality and Equanimal have been involved in investigating Spanish mink farms and have mounted successful public awareness campaigns on the fur industry over the last few years.
Friday 24 June is the day to show your rejection of these arrests.
We are calling for protests in front of the Spanish Embassies and Consulates in different countries, to join forces and show our support and solidarity for the detained activists. Anyone who is organising protests in their country please contact us, so we can update the information of protests being held. We will have a leaflet that you will be able to download, and more information about the activists will be released tomorrow. We must show our support, and that we are stronger than ever.
We have nothing to hide, and we will continue to give a voice to non-human animals; and to demand that they receive equal respect. We will continue to be the voice of the 50 million plus individuals who are killed each year for the clothing industry — all in the name of fashion – including the 300, 000 minks who are tortured and killed for ‘fashion’ each year in Spain." Animal Equality
