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PA ECOTERRORISM BILL- HB213. This bill singles out unpopular views and punishes them more harshly. While crimes such as tresspassing are already illegal, we can not tolerate harsher penalties for those crimes simply because the victim of the crime is an animal using industry!
On April 15th, Governor Rendell is due to sign HB213, a bill passed by both the PA House and Senate. The bill terms anyone who performs civil disobedience (even non-violent) against people or firms engaged in
resource extraction, agricultural research, or animal experimentation, as an "ecoterrorist."
The penalty suffered is significantly more severe than for the same protests in other issues; for example, blockading an abortion clinic is fine, but blockading a corporate building that experiments on animals is "terroristic." Punishment includes up to 40 years in prison, and/or up to $100,000 in fines (not including restitution).
This bill is just one of a series of crackdowns on resistance against the abuse of corporations and firms, and a special-interest legislation that threatens our ability to free speech, assembly, and mobilization against injustices.
The text of the bill is available online at:
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/BI/BT/2005/0/HB0213P3115.HTM .
Please call the governor's office at (717) 787-2500 TODAY.