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Letter from SHAC 7 veganarchist prisoner Dan Wadham

Dan Wadham is a veganarchist and animal rights activist from the UK. On 23rd December 2008 he was convicted with others of 'Conspiracy to Blackmail', in relation to the Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) campaign. Dan was remanded on 19th January 2009 during his sentencing. On 21st January 2009 he recieved a sentence of 5 years imprisonment.

A message from Dan from within the prison walls:

On March 1st, The Sunday Times printed an article about the actions of Andrian Radford AKA Ian Farmer - Ex soldier, gay rights activist, animal rights infiltrator and police informant.

Disgusting as the news was, it comes as no big surprise that the state would accompany their surveillance operations with an undercover agent.

For 3 years Radford pretended to be human in order to inform on the caring individuals and their attempts to rid this earth of the violence of vivisection. Whilst we showed him friendship and kindness, he showed us deceit and malice. Radford would claim his actions were in the interest of public protection, but it is him and his violent, murderous masters that ordinary folk need protecting from. Violence from the animal liberation movement has been virtually non-existent, indeed non-violent direct action and an unwillingness to harm our enemies in the pursuit of freedom has been a defining characteristic of this struggle. While we are motivated by compassion for all the living things, Radford is motivated by money, fame and glory - As evidenced by the fact he is publishing a book of his experiences, a tacky but predictable course of action for someone of his integrity.

Radford tries to come across as reasonable and fair by praising our friend Natasha Avery as “compassionate”, “beautiful” and “warm” adding that “she is also a nutcase who attacks people”. Well it is true that Natasha certainly is compassionate, beautiful and warm - words that could never describe scum like Radford - However she is neither a “nutcase” nor does she “attack people”. And the evidence in our court case proves that. In reality it would seem that it is in fact Radford who is the “nutcase who attacks people”. He is the one who was paid to deceive and manipulate good people, trap them and hand them over to the state. I mean really, what kind of person does it take to hand their supposed friends over to the state?! What kind of low down criminal could use a person’s physical disabilities against them in order to hide their own dirty secrets?.. As Radford did to Gavin Medd-Hall, a gentle soul who is registered blind and who was blamed by Radford for his own secret disruptions.

Radford claims he is proud of his work - he has to though doesn’t he? People like him can only function by smokescreening the reality of their actions with some sort of false moral superiority. Just like the vivisector tells himself he is ‘saving lives’, the snitch hides behind the charade of ‘public protection’. The only thing he is protecting is his bank balance and the monopoly of power wielded by the international drugs mafia that test their goods on beagle puppies at HLS.

One wanders, if we are such dangerous lunatics, why was the document printed in The Sunday Times - that was passed to police by Radford from within SHAC - about finding someone to work undercover in HLS? No-one can argue that organising an undercover investigation into a lab that has been exposed scores of times for cruelty, negligence, falsification of data and bad practice is not the work of extreme terrorists. Such investigations were at the heart of everything we did. As someone who worked alongside Gregg, Natasha, Heather and Gavin, I can say there was never anything more important to us than exposing the daily abuse and torture inside Huntingdon Life Sciences. These friends of mine are amongst some of the most inspiring people I have ever known and their spirit still glows in my heart despite these prison walls and razor wire between us.

Intelligence gathering aside, another function of the infiltrator is to break and divide relationships amongst our communities. The age old divide and rule tactic is an effective one for our enemies - and was indeed used by Radford when he blamed his disruptions on our dear friend Gavin Medd-Hall. This is why we must remember the importance of unity and solidarity.

An infiltrator can spread fear and suspicion like a disease, but we must not let this insidious plot take hold. Many of our number are behind bars - But that will not last forever. The psychological prison formed by our fear is a far greater foe than any police force or court case. I am sat here in the comfort of my prison cell feeling like one of the luckiest people alive. Lucky to have such strong and loving characters for friends. Lucky to have such unshakable support from the animal rights community. And most of all, lucky to not be facing the horrific situation facing millions of innocent individuals across the world. From the down trodden inhabitants of countries under repressive regimes to the residents of depleting natural habitats and the imprisoned creatures of global industry and commerce. The individuals in places like Huntingdon Life sciences are serving life sentences, no possibility of parole, no rights, no access to sunlight, flesh air. Those creatures have no-one but us, no chance of freedom but the freedom we fight for and win for them, and right now is the time to make sure the efforts of Radford and co. do not lessen their chances.

For the animals always
Dan
x

Prisoner Address:

Dan Wadham (A5705AA)
HMP Camp Hill
Newport
Isle Of Wight
PO30 5PB

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