50,000 minks released from fur-farms by activists in Greece

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/296853#tab=comments&sc=0&local=

Two farms specializing in breeding minks for use in the fur industry have been raided by activists who released more than 50,000 minks into the countryside of northern Greece, causing up to $1.27 million damage and most likely the death of these animals. 

The people behind Bite Back and the Animal Liberation Front (ALT) are often called animal activists, but this label is highly dubious when one considers that the "liberated" animals. At least in this case, they may soon die en masse from heat-stroke. Greece, with its high temperatures in the summer, is not a natural habitat for minks; so those who won't be recaptured or die under the tires of cars will most likely just perish from the heat. As far as damaging the fur industry, and these two farms in specific, the nightly raid has been planned and executed rather well. In one Siatista farm, 2,000 animals were released from their cages, in the Kastoria farm 50,000 were allowed to flee from captivity by opening cages and breaching the surrounding fence and two gates. The anonymous activists wrote this statement:

One of the biggest Greek mink farms has been hit in our first night of action. All the cages imprisoning animals in 37 sheds of the farm were opened and machinery sabotaged. To let the animals out part of the fence was cut and both gates opened smashing the locks (using the farmer's tools). Two hours and half of work and we could run away along with thousands of minks (according to media 50.000 were released).

While many people do not condone breeding and killing animals for their fur, or condone the way in which minks are held in captivity, to release these animals in Greece seems more aimed at hitting the Greek fur industry, of which the towns Kastoria and Siatista are the center, than helping the animals. Another aspect of releasing a large number of minks into the environment has been learned about after previous liberation actions, for example in the United Kingdom, where the ever hungry and very aggressive predators soon started to kill farm animals and domestic pets, hamsters, cats, birds ... minks love all kinds of meat. While Greek media say that no group has as yet claimed responsibility for the raids, it seems like the US-based ALF claims it as one of their successes, as can be read on Bite Back:

In both cases we had checked carefully the farms to know how to organize a faster and more secure action. With these actions we decided to hit the fur industry and especially the disgusting 'fur towns' of Siatista and Kastoria, plagued with hundreds of fur stores. Liberating animals from cages is a way to put our ideas into practice. We oppose the oppression, exploitation and imprisonment that this civilization has created for any living being, regardless of species, race, gender or sexual preferences. In these desperate days we still strive for freedom. Eat vegan on the barricades!

The TreeHugger website has a video about Greek farm workers trying to recapture the minks using nets, yet the soundtrack is in Greek. In other news, CBC has reported that 6,000 minks were released in a comparable action in Aldergrove, B.C. (Canada) last week Thursday.

There's a beautifully written novel called Mink by Peter Chippindale that illustrates the havoc caused by a great number of minks released into freedom and what it means for the rest of the forest they disappear into.