Woodbury considers revoking 1st amendment over animal rights protests (from Pioneer Press)

Predictably, the article below shows how little corporate media and police understand decentralization, and doesn't include a single quote from activists.

Woodbury may ban protests in residential areas after 3M execs' homes targeted by animal-rights group
Proposal follows group's picketing at 3M execs' houses
By Bob Shaw
bshaw@pioneerpress.com
Updated: 02/19/2009 11:43:29 PM CST

Animals have rights, but so do homeowners.

An aggressive protest tactic — picketing at people's homes — is getting a thumbs-down from Woodbury officials.

In five incidents last year, as many as 15 animal-rights protesters marched in front of the Woodbury homes of 3M Co. officials. On Wednesday, the city council discussed a new ordinance to ban such protests in residential areas.

"We understand the free-speech part of it. People have the right to say what they want," Public Safety Director Lee Vague said. "But there is also a right of an individual not to be harassed in their home."

The new ordinance, if passed by a council vote, would be similar to others in nearby cities, Vague said.

The protesters apparently were objecting to 3M's ties to Huntingdon Life Sciences, which operates in England and New Jersey and uses animals to test the safety of various products.

3M spokeswoman Jacqueline Berry said Thursday that 3M sometimes contracts with Huntingdon to test products before they go to market. Indeed, the animal testing is sometimes required by law, she said.

When 3M — or any other company — wants to be sure a product is safe for human use, it commonly tests the product on animals. Berry said that is the best way to make sure no unexpected results, from cancer to skin rashes, will occur in human use.

Berry said Huntingdon must comply with 3M's rules governing such facilities, as well as the standards of the
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Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care.

Officials don't know much about the protest group SHAC — Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty. Neither police nor Berry were aware of other SHAC protests or knew whether more protests related to 3M were likely.

SHAC, which is based in Britain, could not be reached by phone or e-mail. A message on its Web site said the group is trying to shut down a Huntingdon facility in England, calling it the largest animal research site in Europe.

Woodbury police said the protests occurred once in May, twice in June and twice in November.

The protesters waved signs and chanted slogans in the streets in front of the homes but did not trespass onto private property. Woodbury police Capt. Jay Alberio said noise complaints came from as far as six houses away from the targeted homes.

Alberio said the protesters quieted down when officers arrived and usually dispersed quickly. They were not breaking any laws, and no one was arrested.

Alberio believes the protesters were not SHAC members from England but local residents sympathetic to the cause.

When police are called about public protests, Vague said, "We make no judgment about content. But when they are standing in front of a home screaming for 40 minutes, and when someone is in the back yard with their kids, they are a captive audience.

"There are plenty of other opportunities to exercise free speech without targeting a home," Vague said.

Bob Shaw can be reached at 651-228-5433.