5 Apr 2001
frontline@rocketmail.com
Frontline: ELF Claims Responsibility for Attempted Arson at Nike Outlet Store (MN, USA)

Frontline Information Service - News 4/05/01

Earth Liberation Front Claims Responsibility For
Attempted Arson At Nike Outlet Store In Albertville, MN

URGENT NEWS ADVISORY
April 4, 2001

ALBERTVILLE, MN - The underground Earth Liberation Front (E.L.F.) has officially claimed responsibility for an attempted arson at a Nike Outlet store in the town of Albertville, Minnesota. This latest action by the E.L.F. specifically targeted Nike due to the corporation's use of sweatshop labor overseas and it's role in globalization.

A communique sent by the E.L.F. stated, "This visit was in solidarity with all people of all nations to fight globalization, and to support the growing anti global sentiment. This is also a call for direct action against globalization in solidarity with all of the anti FTAA actions scheduled in Canada later this month."

The E.L.F. is an international anonymous organization that uses direct action in the form of economic sabotage to stop the exploitation and destruction of the natural environment. Since 1997, in the United States alone, the E.L.F. have caused near $40 million in damages to entities killing the environment for greed.

The communique continued, "Although the roof of this Nike Outlet did not go up in flames as planned, this action is still a message to Nike they cannot ignore. In fact there are only two options for Nike at this point.

Option 1 - You can shut down all of your sweatshops immediately, and immediately place all assets into the communities you have stolen from. Along with this you must close down all Nike Outlets, starting with the Albertville, MN location"

"Option 2 -", the communique stated, "People across the globe will individually attack Nike Outlets, as well as retailers that sell Nike (including college campus shops) until Nike closes down, or adheres to demand #1."

The communique finished by stating, "All E.L.F. actions are non violent towards humans and animals. But if a building exists which perpetrates and sponsors violence towards people or animals (such as a Nike Outlet, or a GAP Outlet, etc.), then by god, it's got to be burned to the ground!!!"

Note: The North American Earth Liberation Front Press Office has called a press conference for April 5, 2001 at 10:00am in front of the Federal Building in Portland, OR (1220 SW Third Ave) regarding this recent ELF action and the case against Frank Ambrose in Bloomington, IN.

Contact:
North American E.L.F. Press Office
503.478.0902
elfpress@tao.ca
http://www.earthliberationfront.com

*A copy of the communique sent by the E.L.F. follows below:

COMMUNIQUE SENT BY THE EARTH LIBERATION FRONT

"TAKE ACTIONS AGAINST GLOBALIZATION NOW!!!

THE EARTH LIBERATION FRONT HAS VERY RECENTLY PAID A VISIT TO A NIKE OUTLET IN THE TOWN OF ALBERTVILLE, MN. THIS VISIT WAS IN SOLIDARITY WITH ALL PEOPLE OF ALL NATIONS TO FIGHT GLOBALIZATION, AND TO SUPPORT THE GROWING ANTI GLOBAL SENTIMENT. THIS IS ALSO A CALL FOR DIRECT ACTION AGAINST GLOBALIZATION IN SOLIDARITY WITH ALL OF THE ANTI FTAA ACTIONS SCHEDULED IN CANADA LATER THIS MONTH.

AFTER WITNESSING FIRST HAND THE TREACHEROUS CONDITIONS THAT NIKE WORKERS EXPERIENCE DAILY IN SWEATSHOPS AROUND THE WORLD, IT WAS DECIDED THAT NO NGO ORGANIZATION, COULD HAVE THE IMMEDIATE IMPACT NECESSARY TO END CONDITIONS THAT EXIST CURRENTLY AT ANY SWEATSHOP.

INSTEAD, DIRECT ACTION IS MORE EFFICIENT TACTIC TO STOP NIKE IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS. UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE VISIT WAS SHORT, AND ALTHOUGH THE PLAN WAS TO DESTROY THE ROOF, ONLY MINOR DAMAGES WERE SUSTAINED.

ALTHOUGHT THE ROOF OF THIS NIKE OUTLET DID NOT GO UP IN FLAMES AS PLANNED, THIS ACTION IS STILL A MESSAGE TO NIKE THEY CANNOT IGNORE. IN FACT, THERE ARE ONLY TWO OPTIONS FOR NIKE AT THIS POINT. OPTION 1.- YOU CAN SHUT DOWN ALL OF YOUR SWEATSHOPS IMMEDIATELY, AND IMMEDIATELY PLACE ALL ASSETS INTO THE COMMUNITIES THAT YOU HAVE STOLEN FROM. ALONG WITH THIS, YOU MUST CLOSE DOWN ALL NIKE OUTLETS, STARTING WITH THE ALBERTVILLE, MN LOCATION (YOU ARE ESPECIALLY NOT WELCOME IN THIS TOWN!!!)... OR, OPTION 2.- PEOPLE ACROSS THE GLOBE WILL INDIVIDUALLY ATTACK NIKE OUTLETS, AS WELL AS RETAILERS THAT SELL NIKE (INCLUDING COLLEGE CAMPUS SHOPS) UNTIL NIKE CLOSES DOWN, OR ADHERES TO DEMAND #1. IT IS IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT TO NIKE THAT THE VIOLENCE THEY USE AGAINST THE POOR, AND ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT DO ALL THE WORK FOR THEM WILL ONLY BE MET WITH VIOLENCE TOWARDS WHAT THEY HOLD DEAREST... THEY'RE POCKET BOOKS. ALL E.L.F. ACTIONS ARE NON VIOLENT TOWARDS HUMANS AND ANIMALS. BUT IF A BUILDING EXISTS WHICH PERPETRATES, AND SPONSORS VIOLENCE TOWARDS PEOPLE OR ANIMALS (SUCH AS A NIKE OUTLET, OR A GAP OUTLET, ETC.), THEN BY GOD, IT'S GOT TO BE BURNED TO THE GROUND!!! THE E.L.F. WHOLE HEARTEDLY CONDONES THE USE OF VIOLENCE TOWARDS INANIMATE OBJECTS TO PREVENT OPPRESSION, VIOLENCE, AND MOST OF ALL TO PROTECT FREEDOM. DIRECT ACTION IS A WONDERFUL TOOL TO EMBRACE ON THE ROAD TO LIBERATION.

SINCERELY,
Philip H. Knight, Chairman and CEO NIKE, Inc.
One Bowerman Drive
Beaverton, OR 97003-6433
Fax: (503) 671-6300"

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