Controversy
The campaign was controversial, and included acts and threats of violence against Christopher Brown. In 1993, he suffered burns to his face and stomach when a letter bomb exploded. In 1998, he was set a hoax bomb by the "Provisional ALF," together with a warning that a real one would follow. The threats were condemned by the Save the Hill Grove Cats campaign. A spokesperson, Heather James, told reporters: "We can't condone this. We are against violence towards animals and people."
In December 1998, Christopher Brown was added to a list of people involved in animal testing who would be assassinated by the Animal Rights Militia if Barry Horne, an animal rights activist on hunger strike, should die.
There were also allegations of violence against the activists. Protesters alleged that farm workers had poisoned them with an organophosphate pesticide spray. Environmental health officers confirmed that they found "substantial amounts" of dimethoate, described by the Independent as a potentially lethal pesticide, on a roadside verge where protesters often stood. Sixteen activists complained of nausea, sore throats, headaches, and difficulty breathing. Christopher Brown said that he had not sprayed the verge and that his farm did not use dimethoate.
Read more about this topic: Save The Hill Grove Cats
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