The grassroots anti-fur movement has shown that it is a force to be reckoned with, and if the international week of action from July 5th to 11th was any indication, Oscar de la Renta and Saint Laurent are in for quite the reckoning.
Instead of spending the July 4 holiday relaxing with family, dedicated activists in eleven cities across the US (and Canada) used the long weekend to make signs, plot mayhem, and spread the word about the next big anti-fur campaigns.
The result was 21 hard-hitting actions in one week, an average of three per day, and two per city.
From Honolulu to New York, activists simply owned ODLR and YSL. Malls were invaded, stores were taken over, frenzied security guards were made fools of. And where there weren’t in-store disruptions, there were still dedicated activists demonstrating outside.
Most of this onslaught was directed at YSL. The energy was electric, the pressure tremendous, and the footage on our Facebook and Instagram pages speaks for itself.
Activists came out against ODLR and YSL with patriotic spirit to fight for the native wildlife that these fashion houses imprison and murder. In place of George Washington’s Continental Army drum corps, an army of protesters marched into ODLR’s Manhattan flagship pounding snare drums so hard that the walls shook. Instead of the rockets’ red glare, NYC delivered the red glare of fake blood and chalk outside of ODLR’s boutique. After NYC was done making a mockery out of ODLR they paid a visit to YSL – a target that they were the first to protest years ago.
Texas Animal Freedom Fighters activists staged a pioneering disruption of Houston’s Casa de Novia Bridal shop, one of ODLR’s small club of exclusive retail partners. We emphasize their creativity and bravery in going out on a limb, because against Oscar de la Renta, it is secondary targeting that will light the path to victory.
Chicago was the most active city for this week of action. They held four protests, ranging from in-store disruptions to educational events outside highlighting the cruelty of fur farms with impassioned speak-outs.
In Arizona, the Scottsdale Saint Laurent saw two event. One was hosted by Eradicate Speciesism with a focus on engaging public messaging. The other was a disruption where several activists were cited for trespassing – allegedly. CAFT will post updates on this matter as the case unfolds. Animal liberation will not be achieved by asking nicely, and we commend the dedication and sacrifices of the Scottsdale activists.
Let this week of action mark the beginning of a great transition. ODLR represents the end of an era, one of the last American holdouts stubbornly clinging to the bygone glory of fur. And YSL represents our first strike at the global epicenter of high fashion, the European legacy houses.
We at CAFT have immense gratitude to every city that worked so hard last week to set the tone against the new targets. The determination you all exemplified is exactly the kind of determination we need to win these campaigns. With focus and unity, victory is a foregone conclusion.
Cities that took action:
New York City, Toronto, Houston, Honolulu, San Diego, San Francisco, New Jersey, Las Vegas, Chicago, Scottsdale, and Los Angeles.