February 10th – 14th
For lovers around the world the second week of February is a time to show your devotion to a special person in your life. For animal rights activists it is a time to show our devotion to putting an end to the fur industry. Instead of chocolates and flowers we will be bringing air horns and megaphones to proclaim our love for the wildlife imprisoned on fur farms.
LVMH and Max Mara
LVMH and Max Mara Group are two fashion conglomerates that have no empathy for wildlife. They are some of the last brands to still use fur and it is our mission to make sure they enact fur-free policies. These two brands will be the focus of the weekend of action.
LVMH is our long term campaign and there have been nearly 400 protests against them worldwide. They are the largest luxury brand in the world run by the wealthiest person in the world, Bernard Arnault. LVMH owns nearly all the iconic brands still selling fur in their collections such as Louis Vuitton, Dior and Fendi. LVMH is a powerhouse in the fashion industry and they have the ability to set trends and break them. If we ever want to see an end to fur – we need LVMH to be committed to a fur-free policy.
Max Mara is a brand new campaign that CAFT just launched. They are an Italian brand that currently sells the dead bodies of minks and foxes in their collections. They are no stranger to protests from the animal rights movement and they stood up against international pressure in 2010 staged by a grassroots effort very similar to ours. Success against Max Mara requires hitting them hard. For this reason we ask every city that has a Max Mara target to make them your priority for this weekend of action.
Global Actions are vital for Animal Liberation
We are confronting some of the most violent industries on the planet. They have infinite resources with a single priority: maximum profits. If we are going to stand a chance at defeating fur we need to be united and work together.
NO ACTION IS TO SMALL
Some cities have the numbers to have protests flood into the streets and bring traffic to a halt while others wreak havoc without even covering the sidewalk. It does not matter if you have 100 people or 1, when we are working together every single action taken matters. This is a collective effort; if one person is standing outside of a Louis Vuitton in 20 cities around the world, our adversaries are going to take notice. In a global campaign 1 person can make a difference.
Tactics to bring down the fur industry
DEMONSTRATIONS
Protests are our bread and butter and these are at the top of our lists for this Valentine’s Day weekend. This coalition has not won 9 campaigns by asking nicely, we have done it with demands backed up by action. CAFT will be in the streets everyday of this action.
EDUCATION
LVMH and Max Mara are well aware of their crimes against wildlife. While we may not be able to educate them into going for free, we can educate their customers and the public. Public opinion is on our side when it comes to the fur issue and this is the perfect opportunity to get people involved in animal rights.
Petitions for Wildlife
This is a classic approach to social change that is welcoming to the whole family. CAFT has a petition that you can get people to sign in the streets.
Leafleting
Simple and to the point – if you need materials you can reach out to the organizing team and we will send you some literature.
Video Outreach
The popularity of video outreach in the animal rights movement is at
an all time high. CAFT encourages organizers to participate in ways they are comfortable so we have a video you can download and play in a loop that can be found here.
PROPAGANDA
Wheat Pasting
There is a reason corporations pay millions of dollars to advertise their brands on every street corner around the world – it works. Being omnipresent is vital for animal rights to become a real discussion amongst everyday citizens. Shaming the brands still invested in fur is an excellent way to participate in this weekend of action. You can download posters for wheat pasting here.
Stickers
Activism has never been so easy. Spread awareness with stickers. You can order stickers by messaging us at [email protected].
INNOVATE
Get creative
Have an idea that is not listed above? Go for it. We love seeing what people come up with and encourage you to act up for animals in whatever way empowers you and your community.
No matter what you do in your city against the fur trade, make sure you document your action with videos, pictures and send them to [email protected] so that we can include them in the action report.
Liberation is Love
The title “Liberation is Love ” may be a cute play on the Valentines Day holiday but for the folks at CAFT this phrase is much more personal.
In 2013 the founders of CAFT USA snuck onto a mink farm in the middle of the night in Peoria Illinois. With a police scanner streaming through their earpiece and bolt cutters in hand they released 2,000 minks into the countryside and the farm was forced to close down indefinitely. This farm had been in business for decades and was closed in a single night through non-violent direct action. Before leaving the farm the message “Liberation is Love ” was spray painted on the side of a barn to convey to the media the motives behind the action.
When we step into the streets for animals it may be anger that resonates through our megaphones but it is love that fuels our hatred for industries killing animals.
The fur industry is one of many industries killing the planet and their demise is only a step towards the end goal of animal liberation. If we are going to be successful we need to act swiftly and appropriately.
Start planning a action in your city today,
CAFT Action Team
(424)-262-3960