Adamant About Animal Rights

Thousands Descend on Capitol With Common Goal, Different Tactics

Thousands of animal rights activists gathered under the hot summer sun at the Capitol yesterday in an effort to pull together the splintered factions of their eclectic movement.

The event -- dubbed the March for the Animals -- featured dozens of animal rights groups from around the world, each with its own cause and sometimes conflicting tactics.

Advocates for circus elephants, horses, chickens, dolphins, rats, monkeys, dogs, cats, animals used in rodeos, cosmetics testing and medical experiments and for furs were at the event, sponsored by the District-based National Alliance for Animals.

Organizers estimated the crowd at 20,000, but U.S. Park Police said there were about 3,000 at yesterday's rally. Most of the demonstrators wore buttons, T-shirts or signs with messages such as, "Your fur coat just kills me" or "I don't eat my friends."

Among the demonstrators -- who organizers said came from all 50 states and from 24 other nations -- were factions urging peaceful rallies, while others pushed for noisy, disruptive protests to get their messages across.

"There are a lot of people with a lot of different voices trying to get their own views heard," said Michael Shafer, an electrical engineer who had come with a busload of activists from Pennsylvania. "But the main message is the same: End cruelty to animals."

The event, the highlight of what organizers have called World Animal Awareness Week, began yesterday morning with several hours of speakers and music at the Ellipse, near the White House. That was followed by an afternoon march up Constitution Avenue to the Capitol steps and then several more hours of music and speakers.

Organizers spent much of the day repeating their call for unity among the demonstrators. But it was obvious that differences among factions would not be resolved easily.

Seth Stevens, 21, from Indianapolis, was with a group passing out a newspaper called No Compromise. He and his group of self-described militants said they were frustrated with "the mellowing" of the animal rights movement.

They advocated blocking entrances to animal-testing labs or breaking into the labs to free animals. They also proudly declared themselves vegans, instead of just vegetarians, meaning they strictly avoid any meats or dairy products in their food and any animal-based materials in their clothing.

"It is fine and dandy to come here, sit and eat pretzels and listen to some music or go to some gala event," he said, referring to a black-tie, celebrity-studded dinner held Saturday by the National Alliance for Animals. "But this is not a party. This is a battle between what is right and wrong. It's time to take sides, and that is why we have No Compromise." But others at the rally said that as the movement matures, it must tone down the militancy and rhetoric.

"Please let's not shout at each other or at those we hope to influence," said Zoe Weil, co-founder of the Maine-based Center for Compassionate Living. "Nothing is harder to hear than righteous yelling."

There also was talk among demonstrators about animal testing and AIDS research. AIDS activists have criticized animal rights groups, saying that in their zeal to protect animals, they are ignoring the suffering of people.

But those gathered yesterday said research on animals does little to help find an effective AIDS treatment. "We should be spending money to help people, not to do tests on animals," said rock star Chrissie Hynde, who wore both an animal rights T-shirt and an AIDS awareness button.

Peter Gerard, executive director of National Alliance for Animals, said he is not surprised at diversity of views at the rally, because it's an unavoidable part of any social movement.

"In any campaign for social justice, you will have radicals, militants, conservatives and moderates," he said. "What we are trying to do is at unify them all for one week and to focus on the few fundamental issues we can all agree on."

Articles appear as they were originally printed in The Washington Post and may not include subsequent corrections.