The conflict between animals' rights activists and fur farmers - a threat to peace in our society

Lately we have noticed a conflict between animals'rights activists and fur farmers. In media there has been a discussion about what should be done to solve this problem. Activists have a good reason to their acts, but fur farmers have also something to say. The big public hasn't got a clear opinnion about this subject, because both sides have their own version. Both sides have also learned how important it is to have medias support. Fur farming is quite important source of living in some parts of Finland. There are about 2000 fur farms, mostly at western coast. In farms they produce blue foxes, silver foxes, mix of silver and blue foxes, and a few other species. Activists claims that foxes are kept in too small cages and they don't have enough space to live in it. But farmers deny this and say that it isn't true. Finland is one of the leading countries producing furs of foxes.

Furs are sold in Helsinki in big auctions. There customers from all over the world come to buy furs. Prices are between 64 to 462 finish marks depending on quality and demand. Farmers are getting pissed off about activists actions and they have said that they are getting on arms to protect their property against sabotages.

Activists are nowadays well organized in few different groups all over the world. Most well known societys are, A.L.F ( Animal Liberation Front ) and its finish wing called E.V.R, which is behind most of actions in Finland. This kind of phenomenon is quite a new. The members are mostly young and well educated, urban citizens and vegeterians. Activists say that cages are way too small and it's cruel to keep animals in prisonment and they should be free in nature. Some activists are finally fucked up about an slogan that farmers are kings of the nature. Activists try to affect many different ways. Actions what they do are: maintaining a broadsheet, having demonstrations, direct actions agains farms and other animal testing facilities. Activists think that farms are polluting environment and harming scenery.

Goverment hasn't decided which side it stands for. It doesn't approve activists strikes against fur farmers, but on the other hand it either doesn't approve farmers who are shooting around with shotguns. In media, there has been a lot of conversation how the problem should be solved and both sides have had a possibility to come out with their own opinion about the subject. There has been a movie made by fur farmers and some activists. The movie tells about three girls making an raid to farm. Activists hope that fur farming will be banned in the future, and politicans think both sides will find the golden middle way on this subject and majority of citizens hope the same way. Perhaps foreign countries can show an example to finland?

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Antti Isomursu
Arto Toppi
Antti Ukkonen