Oxford Arson Squad
Encyclopedia
Oxford Arson Squad is a militant
organization, which emerged in the United Kingdom
in 2005 after claiming the firebombing
of the Corpus Christi College
Sports Pavilion at Oxford University. The University denounced these acts of direct action
stating that "the intimidating nature of this message is totally unacceptable".
message was sent to Bite Back
claiming the failed arson at Corpus Christi College
on 23 September 2005, stating:
The activists use the same leaderless-resistance
model as the Animal Liberation Front
(ALF), which consists of small, autonomous, covert cells acting independently. A cell may consist of just one person.
Their cause seems to be to inflict property damage, presumably arson
, but not injure individuals, and is a reason why they have been accused of being members or supporters of the ALF.
The targets have been businesses based in Oxford
, and the surrounding areas, using incendiary device
s to firebomb businesses they assume have financial ties with Oxford University.
The group became known after the first arson in Oxford
which caused an estimated £500,000 worth of damage on 4 July 2005. In response to this attack, with the insurance premiums set to rise for the business, Longbridge's boathouse were given corporate sponsorship and donations.
The fire caused 26 boats in total to become unusable which were part of St Hilda’s, St Catherine’s, Hertford
, Mansfield and St Benet’s Hall
boats and boat clubs. Upon investigation the cause of the fire was attributed to incendiary device
s which had been placed in the Eight's bays. The group stated that they targeted the boathouse because of their apparent ties to Oxford University that use primates in experiments. The group in a posting to Bite Back said,
Ed Mayne, spokesman for Oxford University replied,
's Sport Pavilion, despite the group claiming they had targeted Corpus Christi College
in July 2005. The second device at Oxford’s Templeton College in February 2007 was found also deactivated. Again the group claimed to have carried out an arson attack, saying again in an anonymous
communique
to Bite Back:
, this was again claimed to be because of the financial relationship with Oxford University. The Animal Liberation Front consists of small autonomous groups of people all over the world who carry out direct action according to the ALF guidelines. Any group of people who are vegetarians or vegans and who carry out actions according to ALF guidelines have the right to regard themselves as part of the ALF. A message was sent to the Bite Back website stating,
Similar attacks occurred nearly a year later in November 2007, when the ALF alleged vehicles belonging to a researcher of the Department of Experimental Psychology at Oxford University were firebombed as well as a director of Acorn Integrated systems sports car
, who the group accused of aiding the construction of the laboratory. The group said in a message to Bite Back: "There will be more. For Barry
and Felix.".
Militant
The word militant, which is both an adjective and a noun, usually is used to mean vigorously active, combative and aggressive, especially in support of a cause, as in 'militant reformers'. It comes from the 15th century Latin "militare" meaning "to serve as a soldier"...
organization, which emerged in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 2005 after claiming the firebombing
Firebombing
Firebombing is a bombing technique designed to damage a target, generally an urban area, through the use of fire, caused by incendiary devices, rather than from the blast effect of large bombs....
of the Corpus Christi College
Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Corpus Christi College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom...
Sports Pavilion at Oxford University. The University denounced these acts of direct action
Direct action
Direct action is activity undertaken by individuals, groups, or governments to achieve political, economic, or social goals outside of normal social/political channels. This can include nonviolent and violent activities which target persons, groups, or property deemed offensive to the direct action...
stating that "the intimidating nature of this message is totally unacceptable".
Mission statement
The Oxford Arson Squad first established itself when an anonymousAnonymity
Anonymity is derived from the Greek word ἀνωνυμία, anonymia, meaning "without a name" or "namelessness". In colloquial use, anonymity typically refers to the state of an individual's personal identity, or personally identifiable information, being publicly unknown.There are many reasons why a...
message was sent to Bite Back
Bite Back
Bite Back is a Malaysia-registered website and magazine that promotes the cause of the animal liberation movement, and specifically the Animal Liberation Front...
claiming the failed arson at Corpus Christi College
Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Corpus Christi College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom...
on 23 September 2005, stating:
Philosophy
Leaderless resistance
Leaderless resistance, or phantom cell structure, is a political resistance strategy in which small, independent groups , including individuals , challenge an established adversary such as a government. Leaderless resistance can encompass anything from non-violent disruption and civil disobedience...
model as the Animal Liberation Front
Animal Liberation Front
The Animal Liberation Front is an international, underground leaderless resistance that engages in illegal direct action in pursuit of animal liberation...
(ALF), which consists of small, autonomous, covert cells acting independently. A cell may consist of just one person.
Their cause seems to be to inflict property damage, presumably arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
, but not injure individuals, and is a reason why they have been accused of being members or supporters of the ALF.
The targets have been businesses based in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, and the surrounding areas, using incendiary device
Incendiary device
Incendiary weapons, incendiary devices or incendiary bombs are bombs designed to start fires or destroy sensitive equipment using materials such as napalm, thermite, chlorine trifluoride, or white phosphorus....
s to firebomb businesses they assume have financial ties with Oxford University.
Longbridges boathouse fire
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
which caused an estimated £500,000 worth of damage on 4 July 2005. In response to this attack, with the insurance premiums set to rise for the business, Longbridge's boathouse were given corporate sponsorship and donations.
The fire caused 26 boats in total to become unusable which were part of St Hilda’s, St Catherine’s, Hertford
Hertford College Boat Club
Hertford College Boat Club is a rowing club for members of Hertford College, Oxford. It is based in the Longbridges boathouse on the Isis, which is owned by the college and shared with St Hilda's, St Catz, Green Templeton and Mansfield...
, Mansfield and St Benet’s Hall
St Benet's Hall, Oxford
St Benet's Hall is a Permanent Private Hall of the University of Oxford. It is located at the northern end of St Giles' on its western side, close to the junction with Woodstock Road.-Composition and status:...
boats and boat clubs. Upon investigation the cause of the fire was attributed to incendiary device
Incendiary device
Incendiary weapons, incendiary devices or incendiary bombs are bombs designed to start fires or destroy sensitive equipment using materials such as napalm, thermite, chlorine trifluoride, or white phosphorus....
s which had been placed in the Eight's bays. The group stated that they targeted the boathouse because of their apparent ties to Oxford University that use primates in experiments. The group in a posting to Bite Back said,
From here on nothing you own, rent or have dealings with is off limits until the project is scrapped, To warn builders and suppliers that they are going to get some, even if their involvement comes to light years later we will not let you offf the hook!
Ed Mayne, spokesman for Oxford University replied,
We are appalled by the contents of a statement concerning the fire in an Oxford College boathouse. The intimidating nature of this message is totally unacceptable.
Failed attempts
Two arsons were unsuccessful with an incendiary device found deactivated at Christ Church CollegeChrist Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
's Sport Pavilion, despite the group claiming they had targeted Corpus Christi College
Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Corpus Christi College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom...
in July 2005. The second device at Oxford’s Templeton College in February 2007 was found also deactivated. Again the group claimed to have carried out an arson attack, saying again in an anonymous
Anonymity
Anonymity is derived from the Greek word ἀνωνυμία, anonymia, meaning "without a name" or "namelessness". In colloquial use, anonymity typically refers to the state of an individual's personal identity, or personally identifiable information, being publicly unknown.There are many reasons why a...
communique
Communique
A communiqué is a brief report or statement released by a public agency.Communiqué may also refer to:* Communiqué , a rock band* Communiqué , 1979* Communiqué , 1987...
to Bite Back:
This latest action is part of an ongoing fight against the University of Oxford and its continued reign of terror over the unseen victims inside its animal labs.
Other arsons
In November 2006, there was an arson at Queen's CollegeThe Queen's College, Oxford
The Queen's College, founded 1341, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Queen's is centrally situated on the High Street, and is renowned for its 18th-century architecture...
, this was again claimed to be because of the financial relationship with Oxford University. The Animal Liberation Front consists of small autonomous groups of people all over the world who carry out direct action according to the ALF guidelines. Any group of people who are vegetarians or vegans and who carry out actions according to ALF guidelines have the right to regard themselves as part of the ALF. A message was sent to the Bite Back website stating,
ALF volunteers gained access to the roof of the building and after removing a section of roof tiling placed an incendiary device containing 12 litres of fuel inside. Attacks will escalate in the face of an institution and government which have sought to destroy legal protest and continue to sanction violence to animals
Similar attacks occurred nearly a year later in November 2007, when the ALF alleged vehicles belonging to a researcher of the Department of Experimental Psychology at Oxford University were firebombed as well as a director of Acorn Integrated systems sports car
Sports car
A sports car is a small, usually two seat, two door automobile designed for high speed driving and maneuverability....
, who the group accused of aiding the construction of the laboratory. The group said in a message to Bite Back: "There will be more. For Barry
Barry Horne
Barry Horne was an English animal rights activist. He became known around the world in December 1998, when he engaged in a 68-day hunger strike in an effort to persuade the British government to hold a public inquiry into animal testing, something the Labour Party had said it would do before it...
and Felix.".
See also
- Leaderless resistanceLeaderless resistanceLeaderless resistance, or phantom cell structure, is a political resistance strategy in which small, independent groups , including individuals , challenge an established adversary such as a government. Leaderless resistance can encompass anything from non-violent disruption and civil disobedience...
- Animal Liberation FrontAnimal Liberation FrontThe Animal Liberation Front is an international, underground leaderless resistance that engages in illegal direct action in pursuit of animal liberation...
(ALF) - SPEAKSPEAK (animals)SPEAK, the Voice for the Animals is a British animal rights campaign founded in 2003 that aims to end animal experimentation in the UK. It has to date fought against two projects. The first was a proposed non-human primate research facility at the University of Cambridge, which was abandoned in...
- Western Animal Rights NetworkWestern Animal Rights NetworkThe Western Animal Rights Network first appeared in 2005 as a coalition for animal rights groups in the West of England and South Wales and acted as a news service for animal rights demos and action reports....
(WARN) - Animal testingAnimal testingAnimal testing, also known as animal experimentation, animal research, and in vivo testing, is the use of non-human animals in experiments. Worldwide it is estimated that the number of vertebrate animals—from zebrafish to non-human primates—ranges from the tens of millions to more than 100 million...
- Animal rightsAnimal rightsAnimal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...