Cara and Celeste were arrested last year and accused of liberating mink from a fur farm. On July the 21st, they had a hearing where some positive developmets were shared. read it directly from their support team:
“On July 21, Judge Paige Rosini heard arguments on an omnibus motion for Cara and Celeste. This motion detailed the state’s lack of evidence for the charges and petitioned the court to dismiss them. We anticipate the judge will hand down a decision in the coming months. In the meantime though…
The RICO charges against Cara & Celeste were dropped! The DA withdrew them before the hearing even started. The judge also asserted that the DA, by way of pretrial services, cannot restrict C&C’s travel. Moving forward, travel requests will be decided by the judge directly.
The defense and prosecution will have 30 days following receipt of the July 21 hearing transcript to submit briefs outlining their legal arguments. Based on these motions, Judge Rosini will decide if any of the charges will proceed to trial.
Trial comes with many financial costs including added lawyer fees, expert witness testimony, travel and accommodations, and possible fees or fines. Please continue to donate if you are able so these defendants are supported through the remainder of their case!”
Credit/debit: Phillyabc.org/nu2
Venmo @phillyantirepression with note “for cc”
Their support website: https://wesupportcc.wordpress.com
Sunbury, PA – Two women from Massachusetts and several dozen supporters from around the country traveled to a small central Pennsylvania town for the first major hearing in a felony case stemming from their arrest last November. The ‘Northumberland 2’ – Celeste Legere and Cara Mitrano – face a litany of PA state charges after being accused of an October 18-19, 2024 break-in at the Richard H. Stahl & Sons, Inc. fur farm in which 683 mink were released from their pens and breeding records were destroyed.
Monday’s hearing saw prosecutors drop the RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) charge leveled against both activists from Massachusetts. While each still face over a dozen counts and possibly decades in prison, their attorneys and supporters appeared cautiously optimistic as the state appeared to be holding a very weak hand when forced to show its cards.
“We hope the court sees through the prosecution’s gross overcharging of defendants accused of releasing animals who, with absolute certainty, would have suffered extreme torture and unconscionable death,” said Chris Carraway, a staff attorney at the Animal Activist Legal Defense Project, which represents defendant Cara Mitrano. Mitrano is also being represented by Harrisburg attorney Natalie Burston; Celeste Legere is represented by Sunbury criminal defense lawyer Jim Best.
Pennsylvania State Police and Northumberland County District Attorney Mike O’Donnell initially charged Legere and Mitrano with RICO, Ecoterrorism, Agricultural Vandalism, Criminal Mischief, Theft, Burglary, Loitering and Prowling at Nighttime, Accidents Involving Damage to Attended Vehicle or Property, Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Cruelty to Animals, Agricultural Trespassing on Posted Land, and Depositing Waste on a Highway — as well as Conspiracy counts related to the Ecoterrorism, Agricultural Vandalism and Burglary charges.
Released on bond in November after their October 19 arrest, Monday was the first chance Legere and Mitrano had to challenge the allegations against them in court.
In February, defense attorneys filed an omnibus motion for habeas corpus (‘show me the body’ in Latin) – arguing that the prosecution didn’t have enough evidence to go to trial. This meant District Attorney O’Donnell had to call several witnesses and present evidence to show how much substance there was to the case against the alleged mink liberators.
“There was very little that was clarified today,” defense attorney Carraway told Unicorn Riot. “And that’s because there’s just very little there.”
Before calling any witnesses, DA O’Donnell quietly moved to dismiss the RICO charge, one of the more serious elements in the case. At the same time O’Donnell’s office added a new count of Aggravated Animal Cruelty, arguing that the defendants were responsible for the deaths of some mink the Stahls say died after release — mink raised in fur farms are usually killed for their pelts before they turn one year old.)
Legere and Mitrano each still face one criminal count of Ecoterrorism — under the Pennsylvania state law, not the similar federal statute.) A line of questioning by defense attorneys Jim Best and Natalie Burston seemed to poke holes in this charge, as the subsection charged in this case requires that an “intent to intimidate” be proven on top of the underlying crime. The prosecution was unable to show any communication between the defendants and the victims in this case, and no graffiti, leaflets or manifestos were found at the fur farm.
[Note: ‘Ecoterrorism‘ is a relatively new concept pushed into law shortly after 9/11 by industries that harm animals and/or the environment, eager to criminalize effective anti-corporate activism after the mass protests of the 1990s. Read ‘Green Is the New Red‘ by journalist Will Potter to learn more.]
Witness Testimony: Mark and John Stahl
The first two witnesses in the case were Mark and John Stahl of the Richard H. Stahl & Sons, Inc. fur farm, which is located on PA State Route 890 just a few miles from the courthouse. The Stahl ranch is the last mink fur facility in Pennsylvania (the fur industry has seen a dramatic decline in recent years, due to lower demand, COVID-19 and opposition from animal rights and animal liberation activists.) It was founded in 1955 and currently has 7 employees with an annual revenue of $298,790, according to business directory information.
Mark Stahl (top), April Stahl (middle) and John Stahl (bottom) leaving Celeste Legere and Cara Mitrano’s bail hearing on November 4, 2024.
The Stahl fur farm is estimated to have 21,000 mink on site at any given time, according to testimony by Mark Stahl, and kills some thousands of mink to “harvest” their pelts every year. As per industry norms, mink are killed either by gas, electrocution, being beaten to death or having their necks snapped. Banned in 22 countries but not in the USA, fur farms confine mink — semi-solitary aquatic predators who roam miles in a day in the wild — to crowded rows of small, often unhygienic cages not much larger than the size of their body. Caged mink routinely injure themselves by fighting with each other or biting and scratching on their cages until they bleed and their teeth and claws break.
The Richard H. Stahl & Sons, Inc. mink fur farm as seen from PA State Route 890.
The Stahl mink ranch was listed online for sale onlinein December, less than two months after the break-in that set 683 mink free which Legere and Mitrano are accused of. A spokesperson for the Stahl business insisted that “the decision to list the property was not influenced by these attacks“; another animal liberation direct action successfully targeted the facility in September 2023, setting free between 6,000 and 8,000 mink; no charges have been filed in that incident. A security camera system was only installed after the 2023 raid, according to 2024 reporting by PennLive.
The Richard H. Stahl & Sons, Inc. mink fur farm as seen from PA State Route 890.
Footage from the fur farm’s security cameras was supposed to be shown at the evidentiary hearing on Monday, but DA O’Donnell couldn’t get the file to play. Judge Paige Rosini instead agreed to watch the video before ruling on the motion by the defense. Based on court proceedings referring to the video, it is understood to show, but not identify, two individuals entering the Stahl & Sons property, opening hundreds of mink cages and destroying breeding cards attached to most or all of the cages in the facility.
According to Mark Stahl, the destruction of “90 percent” of the fur farm’s genetic cards caused a financial loss at a scale beyond the 683 released mink, because the business relies on these records to cultivate a “herd” with more profitable pelt traits, and because a live mink has less sale value without its breeding information. He repeatedly said “the set is broken” when asked about the destroyed records – “the most value is when a whole ‘set’ – mink, cage, and card – is intact. It’s just salvage value without that.”
Mark Stahl leaving Celeste Legere and Cara Mitrano’s bail hearing on November 4, 2024.
Mark Stahl testified that he rushed to the fur farm in the early hours of October 19 after being alerted by “our IT security guy” that an alert had gone off. Upon arriving he looked for holes in the fence, anticipating that the ranch had been breached in a similar fashion to the 2023 raid. He explained that the night of the September 2023 mink release, there had been a concert at a nearby winery with lots of cars parking on the road, and that he believed the mink liberators from that incident parked amongst concertgoers to cover their tracks.
No fence holes were found, but Stahl said he quickly noticed the ranch’s east gate was “swung wide open” and that no lock was on the gate. No lock was ever recovered from the scene. Pressed by the defense if he remembered that the gate was definitely locked before the incident, Mark Stahl admitted he didn’t remember for certain.
Mark Stahl claims that his family’s business suffered $146,000 in total damages from the direct action on October 18-19, 2024: a “primary loss” of “around $47,000” from the missing mink and destroyed genetic cards and hiring people to catch loose mink, a “secondary loss” of “$2,100” in reduced profits from “fur quality of mink that were recovered alive and harvested later” and “tertiary expenses” of “around $111,000 calculated over about 8 years” from “disruption to herd value” due to the destruction of so many genetic cards and from some minks’ medical/breeding status being contaminated while roaming free. Asked by Cara Mitrano’s attorney Natalie Burston how he arrived at this figure, he said “from experience.”
Mark Stahl told Celeste Legere’s attorney Jim Best that he made an insurance claim to Farmers Mutual but hadn’t yet collected — “we’re still in negotiations” — and said the Stahls were demanding an insurance payout of “$160,000 for both instances” — the other being the September 2023 mink release, which Legere and Mitrano are not charged in.
Mark Stahl leaving Celeste Legere and Cara Mitrano’s bail hearing on November 4, 2024.
“There is quite a bit of legal protection [for animal industry businesses targeted by activists] but enforcement of those laws and correct prosecution has not seemed to have happened lately.”
Mark Stahl towards the end of his testimony at the July 21, 2025 evidentiary hearing
John and April Stahl leaving Celeste Legere and Cara Mitrano’s bail hearing on November 4, 2024.
Mark Stahl’s younger brother John Stahl is the official owner of the family business. John Stahl testified that after he got a security alert on his phone around 12:45 a.m. on October 19, he and his wife April Stahl quickly drove towards the farm, but stopped on a property bordering the fur farm where they saw a Subaru parked by the road. He said he parked immediately behind the Subaru and got out to confront the driver to see why there were there, but then had to run to get back in his car because he forgot to put it in park and it was rolling away.
The Subaru then made a three-point turn in order to leave. John Stahl had testified that he parked in such a way that the Subaru would have had to either hit his car to leave or drive into a ditch. He later contradicted himself, claiming he wasn’t actually blocking the Subaru from leaving–“they could have gone around me” — before later admitting that he had deliberately maneuvered his vehicle so that the Subaru couldn’t leave the area without striking him.
Burston asked John Stahl about the collision with the Subaru, which is the basis for some of the charges in the case — Accidents Involving Damage to Attended Vehicle or Property and Recklessly Endangering Another Person. Under cross-examination he conceded that when he moved to trap the Subaru it wasn’t parked on his property and that he himself didn’t have the property owner’s permission to be there.
The Stahl couple then pursued the Subaru down surrounding roads before stopping to pick up clothes and other items they claimed were thrown out the fleeing vehicle’s windows. The Subaru was later pulled over by a local cop who arrested Celeste Legere and Cara Mitrano before handing them over to Pennsylvania State Police.
John Stahl said his F took some damage from being hit by the Subaru but remained operable afterwards. He testified under cross-examination that neither he nor his wife April were injured or sought medical treatment and that he wasn’t wearing a seat belt that night. He no longer drives the vehicle after selling or trading it at a $1,500 value, and reported the damage to authorities but never submitted an insurance claim, the court heard.
Pictures taken by April Stahl during her husband’s vigilante confrontation with the Subaru were entered into evidence. They show the driver’s side of the Subaru and a side profile of the driver, which the defense did not disagree was Celeste Legere. April Stahl was called to testify as a witness at Monday’s evidentiary hearing but ended up not taking the stand at the last minute for reasons unclear.
April Stahl leaving Celeste Legere and Cara Mitrano’s bail hearing on November 4, 2024.
Mark and John Stahl also mentioned that both the October 2024 incident Legere and Mitrano are accused of and a September 2023 release of 6-8,000 mink from their farm were claimed in Animal Liberation Front (ALF) press releases. The Stahls admitted under cross-examination that they couldn’t tie the ALF or any of its websites or publications to either of the defendants, and said they only knew about the ALF after reading about it in the news.
Witness Testimony: State Troopers Cody Fischer and Jacob Hook
Two Pennsylvania State Troopers testified about evidence they collected after Legere and Mitrano’s arrest. Notably, neither mentioned or knew of any fingerprints, shoe prints, DNA or other forensic evidence collected at the Stahl’s fur farm after the incident.
State Trooper Cody Fischer briefly testified to arresting Celeste Legere and Cara Mitrano after they were pulled over by Ralpho Township Police. Fischer said that the defendants had a backpack, a purse and a map with “directions in and out of the fur farm” with them at time of arrest.
The rest of the testimony came from State Trooper Jacob Hook of the PSP Criminal Investigations Unit, who offered an ample serving of speculative opinion with a few actual hard facts mixed in. An initial affidavit by Hook — the foundation for the case — made lurid mention of so-called “anarchist propaganda” found in the Subaru, indicating a desire to criminalize the defendants’ political associations. Hook’s affidavit also made sure to mention stickers with anti-police messages on them as among the evidence collected.
When asked by defense counsel to clarify what counted as “anarchist propaganda,” Hook said he used that term to describe 4 items – 3 “online privacy… manuals” — one about using a burner phone, one about Virtual Private Networks and one about the Tor Browser).
The 4th evidence item Hook cited as “anarchist propaganda” was as a notebook with handwritten notes that seemed to be from a ‘Know Your Rights’ seminar encouraging radical activists to avoid speaking with police. Hook conceded upon cross-examination that the privacy literature was not “anarchist-specific” and that he didn’t know whose handwriting was on the notebook.
Natalie Burston: “Regarding anarchist propaganda, what’s your history of investigating anarchist groups?”
PA State Trooper Jacob Hook: “This would be my first.”
Despite DA O’Donnell dismissing the RICO charge, Hook continued to insist that an unknown criminal organization was tied to the defendants, because Legere and Mitrano had a support network that they accessed upon arrest.
Hook’s testimony repeated claims from his affidavit that jail phone calls in which the defendants were “promised” bail money actually meant that they had been paid in advance to commit the alleged acts. A portion of a recording of one of Legere’s calls from jail – that Hook referred to as proving this theory – was played in court. On the clip, Legere was heard asking friends for bail money.
Jim Best [Attorney for Celeste Legere]: “None of the [jail phone] recordings of Legere reveal any discussion of crimes or conspiracy to commit crimes?”
State Trooper Jacob Hook: “Legere said bail ‘was $150,000’ and that [she] ‘was already promised $50,000, which means that [she] was promised $50,000 bail before the crime.”
Best: “Would you agree that if someone would have promised to assist Legere in making bail, that’s not a crime?”
Hook: “Someone’s not promised bail money if they’re not gonna commit a crime.”
Trooper Hook also cited the defendants contacting people offering jail support while they were in jail – a routine part of many protest movements – as itself proof of a larger criminal enterprise because “they were talking to people who referred to themselves as jail support and in all my years in law enforcement I’ve never heard anyone described as jail support.” — Hook told the court that he’s been a State Trooper for 5 years.
Northumberland County District Attorney Mike O’Donnell: “Anything of significance that you remember from the phone calls, anything that would make you think this was an organized activity?”
Hook: “they were talking to people who referred to themselves as jail support and in my years in law enforcement I’ve never heard anyone described as jail support.
Natalie Burston [Attorney for Cara Mitrano]: “Listening to the calls, you said you believed there could have been an organization or larger group, could you identify who leads it?”
Hook: “No.”
Burston: “Could you tell if this organization or larger group was part of the jail support calls?”
Hook: “For somebody to be answering the phone as jail support, it has to be part of some larger group.”
Burston: “Did Mitrano reference any crime [on the calls]?”
Hook: “No.”
Burston: “Did she mention bail?”
Hook: “It was brought up.”
Jim Best [Attorney for Celeste Legere]: “None of the recordings of Legere reveal any discussion of crimes or conspiracy to commit crimes?”
Hook: “The clip that the DA referred to… Legere said bail ‘was $150,000’ and that [she] ‘was already promised $50,000’ which means that [she] was promised $50,000 bail before the crime.”
Best: “Would you agree that if someone would have promised to assist Legere in making bail, that’s not a crime?”
Hook: “Someone’s not promised bail money if they’re not gonna commit a crime.”
Hook also described physical evidence that he collected the day after Legere and Mitrano’s arrest. Items found in the Subaru reportedly included headlamps, plastic crowbars, walkie talkies, and a Massachusetts E-ZPass. One smart phone was recovered and analyzed – Hook told the DA “nothing came back from it, I believe their primary phones were not with them.”
The fact that the defendants were driving a borrowed car was also cited by Hook as evidence of a criminal organization – “clearly there’s some kind of network.” Hook said he did contact the owner of the Subaru but did not try to ascertain whether items found in the vehicle belonged to the vehicle’s owner or the defendants.
Hook also testified that accessing the car’s navigation computer turned up an “address of interest” – one of the collective houses in Massachusetts where the defendants have lived. Legere and Mitrano’s bond hearing in November featured DA O’Donnell demanding to know the names and political affiliations of people living at collective houses the defendants resided at, and insisted on sensationally referring to the homes with several roommates as “anarchist compounds.”
What’s Next?
After hearing from the four prosecution witnesses, the hearing quickly wrapped up after some exhibits were officially entered into evidence. The defense didn’t call any witnesses. Both sides have 30 days to file briefs and a ruling by Judge Paige Rosini on the defense’s motion is expected, roughly, sometime in the next two months. Judge Rosini’s ruling could in theory throw out the case entirely, or allow it to continue with the same list of charges or with some of the charges thrown out for lack of evidence.
“Be scared – that’s the message the prosecution wants to send,” attorney Carraway told Unicorn Riot. “They’re going to call someone who’s accused of a nonviolent act a terrorist to scare people away from activism in general. The message people should take away from this is to have tenacity and know that there is support for people going through the criminal process, and to not be scared.”
Paul Minton — a snitch, pedophile, and lifelong flip flop — has re-appeared in Philadelphia claiming to be an anarchist after being run out of town for being a white supremacist. Specifically he been seen on the dating app Tinder claiming to be a green anarchist looking to make friends and find romance. This quick write up and link dump is for those who don’t know who he is. Paul Minton should not be trusted, his history of white supremacist organizing, snitching, and creepy and dishonest social relations are all reasons anarchists and other radicals should be extremely cautious and skeptical of Paul.
Paul Minton, also known as Misk and Paulie, has organized with numerous fascist groups. Paul has been involved with White Lives Matter, PA Active Club, Rise Above Movement, S14, Keystone State Skinheads/Keystone United, as well as being a neo-nazi skinhead as a young man.
Paul has a checkered history of dabbling a number of cultures and social circles be returning to organized racism. Paul has been an orthodox Muslim, a vegan (and claims to be again), a hardcore punk music fan, and bafflingly, an anti-fascist! Around 2016 Paul became active in anti-fascist organizing, working with others to confront the far right resurgence of the first Trump presidency. It was during this time that he began grooming a then 13 year old girl who he would later impregnate. By 2020 Paul had been ostracized by local anti-fascists and leftist due to his unpredictable and harmful behavior. Around 2021 he returned to fascist organizing, doxxing many of his former anti-fascist comrades. Today in 2025, he is popping up again, this time claiming to be a green anarchist.
There’s no way to know if Paul Minton really considers himself an anarchist, but if he has shown himself to be anything it’s a flip-flop and a betrayer. Even if Paul is genuinely interested in green anarchy right now, it is very likely that he will eventually return to white supremacy. Any green anarchists, ecologically oriented radicals, or anti-fascists he meets between then and now should know he may well dox, harass, or snitch on them.
In-depth writeups about Paul Minton:
Rogues Gallery entry for Paul Minton
https://rogues.wiki/index.php/Paul_Minton
ALERTA! Paul Minton is a neo Nazi living in South Philly
Cara and Celeste have a court date coming up next month on April 21st. Supporters are invited and wanted. The court hearing is at 1:15pm at the Northumberland Courthouse, 201 Market St, Sunbury, PA, USA.
The defense is presenting a motion that argues that the state has insufficient evidence to continue the case, especially in regard to the serious charges of RICO and ecoterrorism.
Its been a little while since we have written about Cara & Celeste, who were arrested and accused of a mink liberation in the USA. We don’t have updates about the case but would like to remind folks of their legal fundraiser, which is still stuck at 16k when they are needing to raise 75k USD.
Please, if you are reading this, send what you can afford to the fundraiser.
If that is 1 USD, that is better than nothing. If it is 100, that is equally as awesome!
Maybe it’d be cool to organise a fundraising event locally with other anarchist and animal rights folks? A fundraising diner, or a gig, or whatever other event that will help raise awareness and funds! If you are organising anything, we will be very happy to promote it so hit us up!
It is important to remember that c&c havr not been convicted for this crime, but that as a movement we are responsible for the wellbeing of all of us, and that includes ensuring that anyone who is facing the court system knows we have their backs!
If you cant afford donating, and you can’t organise a fundraiser, it would be awesome if you can share this post far and wide so others read it, collective self defence will take us far!
Hey folks just a quick shout out to our fundraiser. We are selling t-shirts and art prints designed by super radical artists from across the globe to raise funds for Cara and Celeste. The pre-order only fundraiser will close down in 72 hours, so it is now or never!
Cara and Celeste were arrested in the vicinity of a fur farm that had been raided, where over 600 mink were released to freedom. They spent a few weeks until they managed to post bail and now they are preparing for a legal battle in court contesting many charges including felony eco terrorism.
Philly ABC has a fundraiser going and we would like to send as much money as we possible can to it, so if you can afford it please grab a tee or some prints to contribute! If you grab a print collection and a t-shirt in the same order we will add a few stickers for free as a thank you. Please note that this is a preorder item only, which means they will only be sent once they are printed (likely next week), so if you’re ordering other bits from the website which are not marked as pre-order items they will ship together once the tees are ready!
Please donate generously if you can, and even if you can’t afford it please just share this far and wide so others see it before we close the preorders! SOLIDARITY ALWAYS!
Last month we released a pre-order only fundraiser, selling t-shirts and art prints to raise funds for Cara and Celeste, who are facing trial accused of being involved in a mink liberation in the USA.
We have received a few orders and reached the minimum to print t-shirts, but it would be great if we could raise extra funds, so please have a look and grab yourself a print, or a collection of prints, or a t-shirt or three! If you order both a t-shirt and a print collection, we will send some free stickers designed by Praxis with your order!
We’ve priced minimum payment for t-shirts at 20GBP, for the print collection 15GBP and for single prints 7GBP, but we are not a shop and simply collect donations, so if you can afford paying more for them please consider adding a few coins towards the fundraiser, you can name your price in the shop! Remember that if you order pre-order items alongside other bits from the shop, we will send them all mid December when the pre-orders are ready, so they will take a little while!
If you want to donate but don’t want to grab any tees you’re also welcome to just send your donation to the Philly ABC fundraiser for Cara and Celeste. Find it on www.unoffensiveanimal.is/nu2
Remember that Cara and Celeste have not been found guilty of the mink releases and you should not imply they are guilty of anything! Just support them because the state bites hard on anyone they fancy and we should protect everybody as that is the very best self defence.
Cara and Celeste were arrested back in October after a mink farm was raided in Pensylvania. They spent a few weeks in jail until the judge agreed to a reduction to 10% on their bail as well as dropping a few other bail conditions, and they were able to come out a few days ago. Whilst a reduction from 150k USD to 15k each for bail is an amazing drop in costs, Cara and Celeste are now facing such massive legal costs that they need all the help they can get.
They are facing multiple charges including felony eco-terrorism, accused of the release of 600+ mink from a fur farm. Their support team is fundraising 75k USD to help cover sots of legal, transportation and other outgoings for the long road ahead.
We have launched our own fundraiser, supported by artists @praxis_vgz, @daisy.lotta, @zerofoursixeight and @steveortiz_art.
Grab yourself a tshirt, a print (or a full collection if you fancy!). If you grab both a collection and a tshirt, we will add some free stickers to your order which have been specially designed for this fundraiser!
This is a pre-order item only. The preorder starts today and it stops 12th December, we will not print any more t-shirts than the ones you order, so please go grab one now, support the initiative. Every single penny in profits will be sent to Philly ABC’s run Cara&Celeste fundraiser.
As always, our site is not a shop, it is a pay as you feel style donation where we send you cool itemz when you drop some coins, so please if you can afford it donate more than the minimum for tshirts and prints! We’ve set the minimum price at 20 GBP for tshirts, 15GBP for the full print collection and 7GBP for individual prints. If you can donate more, please do!
Prints are A4 size, on thick, recycled luxury paper. The tshirts are printed on NoSweat garments, who run a campaign against sweatshops and produce garments that are organic, eco friendly and only made in cooperative factories.
If you grab other items on the same order, please understand they will all be sent together with the pre-order items, so you might now receive them for a little while.
Please, grab a tee and a print, share it around and spread the word. let’s support folks when they face the system, prisoner support is our biggest weapon!
If you don’t want to buy shit to clutter your wardrobe, please just donate some coins to the legal fundraiser: www.unoffensiveanimal.is/nu2
PS: Please use your head. Cara and Celeste HAVE NOT been found guilty of any crimes. Don’t thank them for crimes, don’t tell them they are heros, being charged does not equate guilt. Do not treat them like they are guilty of a crime they have not been sentenced for. Just support them throguh the fucked up road that is navigating the judiciary system.
Northumberland County, PA — An engaged couple from Massachusetts was freed on bail from jail last week after the alleged October 19 release of over 600 mink from the Richard H. Stahl Sons Inc. fur farm near Sunbury, off Pennsylvania State Route 890. State prosecutors charged Celeste Legere and Cara Mitrano with over a dozen criminal counts — including ecoterrorism and RICO charges — and they face decades in prison.
Originally held on $150,000 bail each, Legere and Mitrano were later allowed by a judge to post 10 percent of the full bail amount.
Legere and Mitrano face identical sets of charges in Pennsylvania state court. In addition to the RICO and ecoterrorism charges, they are also charged with Agricultural Vandalism, Criminal Mischief, Theft, Burglary, Loitering and Prowling at Nighttime, Accidents Involving Damage to Attended Vehicle or Property, Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Cruelty to Animals, Agricultural Trespassing on Posted Land, and Depositing Waste on a Highway — as well as Conspiracy counts related to the Ecoterrorism, Agricultural Vandalism and Burglary charges. (An additional charge of “Conspire in Unwarranted Detention” was withdrawn earlier.)
Pennsylvania’s Ecoterrorism statute became law in 2006, shortly before a similar federal law — the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act — was signed by then-President George W. Bush. Before the PA statute went into effect, the ACLU said that it“violates the First Amendment because it discriminates against certain expressive speech based on the viewpoint of the speaker” and warned that “people who engage in traditional forms of civil disobedience, such as sit-ins, could be treated as terrorists.”
Both the state and federal laws widened the scope of what counts as “terrorism” — a word usually reserved for killing or threatening to kill civilians in order to influence government policy — to include acts intended to “prevent or obstruct” businesses in the agricultural or animal industries.
These laws were part of the post-9/11 “Green Scare” era during which the Earth Liberation Front and Animal Liberation Front were the U.S. government’s top domestic “terror” targets. Industry groups and politicians successfully exploited the political climate after the September 11, 2001 attacks to criminalize direct action movements targeting companies for their harmful and controversial practices — often garnering popular support as animal rights abuses and environmental damages became more widely known.
Chris Carraway, staff attorney at the Animal Activist Legal Defense Project, told Unicorn Riot that the case against Legere and Mitrano is “part of a decades-long effort to vilify and persecute animal rights activists.”
“Here, the addition of animal cruelty charges adds insult to injury. A society that protects an industry that gasses and electrocutes animals to turn them into coats, while charging those who allegedly attempt to free those animals with terrorism and cruelty, has utterly lost its moral compass. The true ecoterrorism on this planet comes from corporate industries that destroy habitats, pollute the environment, and slaughter billions of animals for profit.”
Chris Carraway, Staff Attorney, Animal Activist Legal Defense Project
Pennsylvania State Police Complaint Outlines Alleged Mink Release
Celeste Legere and Cara Mitrano were both arrested in the early hours of October 19 after the Stahl fur farm’s security system went off and surveillance cameras showed two individuals releasing minks from pens and destroying breeding records, according to a Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) complaint.
The Richard H. Stahl Sons Inc. mink fur farm as seen from PA State Route 890.
Much of the PSP probable cause affidavits rely on the narrative provided by members of the Stahl family who own and operate the fur farm — Mark, April and John Stahl.
According to the affidavits, Mark Stahl told state troopers that his “camera sensors were activated” and captured two individuals — alleged to be Legere and Mitrano — “inside the enclosed property…wearing dark clothing with head lamps…carrying bags…[with] their hoods up.” They then released 683 mink “and destroyed records on the pens,“ according to an affidavit.
Open air enclosures at the Richard H. Stahl Sons Inc. fur farm containing mink cages seen from State Route 890.
April Stahl claims to have photographed a vehicle fleeing the fur farm shortly thereafter. (The prosecution asserts this is the same car Legere and Mitrano were later pulled over in when they were arrested.) April Stahl and John Stahl then turned their own car sideways on a road, blocking it, at which point the vehicle leaving the scene is alleged to have struck the Stahls’ car on its way out; April and John Stahl then reportedly followed the fleeing vehicle. (The exact location alleged in the documents is not clear.)
The defendants allegedly drove away along Airport Road, seen here to the right of the Richard Stahl Sons Inc. mink farm in a Google Maps satellite image.
Before losing sight of the fleeing car, April and John Stahl told police that they “observed a backpack, work glove and dark in color sweatshirt get tossed out the suspect vehicles driver and passenger windows.” The items were reportedly recovered later by Pennsylvania State Troopers.
At around 1:14 AM, Legere and Mitrano were pulled over by Ralpho Township Police Officer Glen Wonsock, who arrested them before handing them over to Pennsylvania state troopers Cody Fischer and Jacob Hook – the authors of the affidavits.
Fischer and Hook wrote in an affidavit that they then obtained search warrants for the defendants’ vehicle as well as a backpack and purse found inside it. The troopers claimed to find items including a “pair of work gloves,” a “lock picking kit,”“two headlamps” and “two orange plastic crowbars.”
However, the Affidavit of Probable Cause also includes items of a political nature within the basis for the criminal case – dovetailing with efforts across the country to criminalize anarchist, antifascist and environmental and animal rights movements.
Items listed by police include “Three stickers that read ‘Officer down!’” depicting a smiling star with thumbs up” as well as “Two stick[ers] that read ‘Policy Proposal‘ depicting a police car on fire”, “Anarchist propaganda” and literature about how to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) and the Tor browser to privately browse the internet.
Political surveillance and profiling of U.S. citizens by the federal government based on their perceived ideology is also directly involved in the case beyond the purely physical mechanics of an alleged criminal act.
The affidavit signed by Troopers Fischer and Hook indicates that the defendants and their roommates have been monitored by federal authorities prior to being accused of anything in court: “Following the search I made contact with FBI Intelligence. The FBI Source informed my that both Mitrano and Legere are connected with two anarchist Communes in… Massachusetts.”
Affidavit Conflates Post-Arrest Bail Arrangements with A Priori Payment for Crimes
Troopers Fischer and Hook’s signed and sworn probable cause statements, approved by Magisterial District Judge Rachel Wiest-Benner, appear to misrepresent one of the defendant’s attempts to raise bail money, purporting a notion that they were expecting to be paid for raiding the fur farm. (Wiest-Benner won an open judicial seat late in 2023.)
The affidavit filed by state troopers Cody Fischer and Jacob Hook seems to misrepresent a jail phone call about raising bail funds as evidence that the defendants were promised payment to commit the alleged crime. Unicorn Riot redacted language in this portion of the affidavit that misgenders Celeste Legere.
Fischer and Hook’s affidavit notes a recorded jail call by Celeste Legere was discussing their bail being set at $150,000, but claims that Legere saying on the call that she was “already promised $50,000…. illustrates Legere was promised $50,000 dollars prior to coming to Pennsylvania and committing the above crimes.” This seems to extend a national trend of attempting to criminalize raising bail funds for arrested protesters — in Atlanta, a similar line of attack led to money laundering charges against a bail fund supporting ‘Stop Cop City’ activists that collapsed last month.
The state police affidavit also notes that as of October 27, 2024, out of the 683 mink released, 619 had been recovered, 64 had not been recovered and 3 died post-recovery. The source for this claim is not cited in the filing.
The Northumberland County Courthouse in Sunbury, PA.
Judge Skeptical of ‘Terrorism’-Level Bail in November 4 Hearing
A sunny and tranquil afternoon in Sunbury, a central Pennsylvania river town, was the setting for the bail hearing on ecoterrorism and other charges for the two defendants on Monday, November 4, while locals raked leaves and senior citizens strolled the park outside the courthouse.
Watch Unicorn Riot’s dispatch after attending the hearing on Monday, November 4:
[EDITOR’S NOTE: This report was recorded before Judge Paige Rosini made a ruling on the defense’s bail modification request.]
The bail hearing was overseen by Judge Paige Rosini, a former defense attorney elected to the Northumberland County Court of Common Pleas in 2015.
Judge Paige Rosini is the first woman to serve as a Judge in Northumberland County, PA. Photo credit: Danirae Renno/The News-Item
Celeste Legere was represented by Jim Best and Cara Mitrano was represented by Gerald Iwanejko, Jr. — both public defenders.
Mike O’Donnell, the prosecuting attorney in the case, was elected as the Northumberland District Attorney earlier in 2023 after running as the Republican nominee on a ‘tough on crime’ platform.
Northumberland County District Attorney Mike O’Donnell. Photo credit: Mike O’Donnell/Facebook
District Attorney O’Donnell opposed the defense’s bail modification request, claiming Legere and Mitrano were an “extreme flight risk.” He referred to a map of the area surrounding the Stahl mink farm allegedly found on the defendants and began to reference the literature about using VPNs, Tor, burner phones, allegedly found during the defendants’ arrests, but was interrupted by Judge Rosini – “I’ll stop you there, do you have any evidence?” O’Donnell replied by answering “the affidavits,” to which Rosini replied, “affidavits aren’t evidence.”
Celeste Legere told the court that she works as a therapist and volunteers with various community projects such as clothing drives for unhoused people. Cara Mitrano, who told the court she “ran a free pantry out of my home” and helps with a local Earn-A-Bike program, works in medical data analytics. Both defendants testified that they had no prior criminal record and promised to attend any future court dates.
Legere also testified that she was being held in so-called protective custody because she was a trans woman — meaning she had very limited time outside of her cell and had limited access to the commissary; officers had been instructed not to let her have any contact with other inmates. She told the court that “almost every time I am let out of my cell I receive pervasive sexual harassment” as well as “threats of rape” and said she’d been denied any access to her hormone medication since her October 19 arrest.
When the proceedings moved on to the defendants’ home address and housing upon posting bail, District Attorney O’Donnell was extremely eager to zero in on what he alternately described as “anarchist communes” or “compounds” — aka ‘collective houses’ where the defendants live with roommates.
After O’Donnell began this line of questioning, Judge Rosini said he could “ask about specific groups” but that “saying anarchy or anarchist is pretty broad.” O’Donnell also pressed the defendants and witnesses on whether their collective house roommates were involved in “anti-law enforcement activities.”
Defense counsel asked the court to allow their clients to bail out at a lower amount by reminding the court that they were “presumed innocent” and had a “long-term residence” in a “stable location” with phone access and “substantial ties” to a community.
Character witnesses described both Legere and Mitrano with phrases like “reliable and honest,”“kind and thoughtful person.” Others, including several doctors and an attorney, offered to house and employ the defendants upon their release. When questioning one character witness offering to house one of the defendants, O’Donnell pressed them on why they thought bail should be granted. They replied, “because we live in a free country, and I think that’s important.”
Judge Rosini also pushed back on O’Donnell’s claim that the defendants should be denied bail because they weren’t from the area – “living in another state isn’t necessarily a flight risk.”
Amidst his final remarks arguing against the bail modification request, the District Attorney O’ Donnell again started to cite the internet privacy literature allegedly found during Legere and Mitrano’s arrest the defense quickly objected to this, and the Judge sustained the objection.
O’Donnell insisted that the higher bail amount should remain in place because “they came here to commit a crime,” adding, “they did ram Mr. Stahl’s car in order to leave,” and that they employed “well thought-out, sophisticated tactics. He told Judge Rosini that “it doesn’t matter if they’ve injured someone or not,” to which she replied “that’s one of the conditions.” O’Donnell also failed to offer any substantiation for his claim that the defendants were in “an organization” when Judge Rosini asked, “do you have proof of that organization?”
“The commonwealth hasn’t presented an iota of evidence to support the claims made by Mr. O’Donnell.”
James Best, Sunbury attorney representing defendant Celeste Legere
The Monday afternoon ended on a slightly hopeful note for the defendants and their supporters as some of Judge Rosini’s final remarks seemed to cast doubt on the prosecution’s demonization of the two women as violent threats who could strike again at any time if let out of jail:
“This is exponentially more than is set for people who hurt people… How is $150,000 a reasonable bail for someone who hasn’t hurt people?…This is a property crime…. Who are they at risk of hurting?”
Judge Paige Rosini at November 4, 2024 bail hearing for Celeste Legere and Cara Mitrano
The hearing ended with Judge Rosini saying she would read additional letters of support for the defendants that had been submitted and make a decision in the coming days. Later that week, Legere and Mitrano were each allowed to post 10 percent cash of their $150,000 bail – an option not available prior to Judge Rosini’s decision after the bail hearing.
Both were released without GPS monitoring or home confinement conditions, and allowed to leave Pennsylvania on the condition that they check in with Northumberland County probation twice a month. Rosini also nullified a no-contact order between the defendants, another request by the defense made on the grounds that they need to coordinate a mutual defense and are engaged.
“My client is grateful to the court for recognizing that she is not a danger,” Legere’s attorney James Best told the Daily Item. “She looks forward to returning to her community while she fights these charges.” District Attorney O’Donnell complained that Rosini’s decision “downplays the nature of this crime.” Fur Commission USA, an industry lobby group paying close attention to the case, circulated a statement claiming that “granting reduced bail”“only emboldens extremist activists.”
Stahl & Sons Fur Farm Previously Targeted by Animal Liberation Front
Located in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, just off of State Route 890, the Richard H. Stahl & Sons mink farm was founded in 1955 and currently has 7 employees with an annual revenue of $298,790, according to business directory information. The October 19 incident for which Legere and Mitrano are charged is not the first time the Stahl family’s mink pelt facility been targeted — it was previously raided in 2023 by animal liberationists who freed between 6,000 and 8,000 mink.
While the exact details of Stahl & Sons’ operations are not public, it’s estimated to kill thousands of mink each year. Mink raised for fur generally do not live to see their first birthday and are typically killed one of three ways — being gassed with carbon dioxide, getting beaten to death and/or having their neck snapped, or being electrocuted.
The Richard H. Stahl Sons Inc. mink fur farm as seen from PA State Route 890.
Images of the facility taken on November 4, 2024 show that in addition to the dozen or so large pens containing mink cages, numerous additional new rows of pens are under construction.
The Richard H. Stahl Sons Inc. mink fur farm as seen from PA State Route 890.
Local media has repeatedly quoted statements branding Legere, Mitrano and the wider animal rights movement as “terrorists” and “domestic extremists” by the Fur Commission USA, a 501(c)6 nonprofit that pushes the mink industry’s interests. Corporate-owned news in Northumberland County and Pennsylvania has thus far failed to note a conflict of interest regarding the entity’s advocacy in this case: Mark Stahl of the Richard H. Stahl Sons Inc. mink farm is the Secretary of Fur Commission USA, according to 2024 IRS records.
Fur Industry In Decline
Mink farming has long been a priority target of the Animal Liberation Front as well as those seeking more humane treatment of animals generally. Banned in 20 countries but not in the USA, fur farms confine mink — semi-solitary aquatic predators who roam miles in a day in the wild — to crowded rows of small, often unhygienic cages not much larger than the size of their body. Mink routinely injure themselves in confinement by fighting with each other or biting and scratching on their cages until they bleed and their teeth and claws break.
“Fur farming takes place in a high-density animal environment that allows for rapid spread of viruses with pandemic potential—and for virus adaptation to animals that would be unlikely to occur in nature. This is particularly true for normally solitary, undomesticated carnivores, such as mink… mink, more so than any other farmed species, pose a risk for the emergence of future disease outbreaks and the evolution of future pandemics.”
Between 2017 and 2022 over half the fur farms in the US closed and the value of mink pelts declined by 68 percent, according to the Humane Society. Some fur farmers hope that these strong downturns will be offset by increased demand for furs from Russia and China.
Despite the escalating legal repression of animal rights activists in the post-9/11 era, activists who support direct action against the fur industry believe that they can push it further towards collapse. While it remains to be seen if the allegations against Celeste Legere and Cara Mitrano will hold up in court, their supporters say they are dedicated to helping them beat the case and stay free.
Cover image composition, photography and additional contributions by Dan Feidt. Mink element in cover via Dzīvnieku brīvība on YouTube.
Cara and Celeste, “the Northumberland 2”, were arrested after a mink raid at a fur farm. They were held on multiple charges, including felony eco-terrorism. On the 9th of November, their bail review changed as the judge accepted 10% bail (from 150k each to 15k each) and they are both out of jail after 3 weeks locked up. Despite the reduction of bail conditions, they are still facing multiple charges including felonies, which will ensure a lot of court dates ahead.
They are going to need a lot of support, even now when they are out of jail. The legal costs will start piling up very fast, and it is only through solidarity that we can ensure Cara and Celeste are supported and have the best chance at remaining free.
We have an art fundraiser in the pipeline, but for now, please head to Philly ABC’s donor box and donate a couple of coins to support them through the legal battle!
We see a lot of people celebrating when anonymous reports are published. It is time now to be as loud as possible about support. Regardless of their innocence, showing up for anyone who is facing the law means we are telling everybody the movement has their back if they ever get into trouble.
Cara and Celeste are out of jail! Thanks to the support of many friends around the world, they each received dozens of letters and books while incarcerated. Despite a significant reduction in bail restrictions, they are still facing 14 charges including multiple felonies and have many court dates ahead.
There is a long legal battle ahead which will require funds for attorney costs, travel to court, possible fines or court fees, and many other expenses. If you can, please donate and share with friends. Thank you for all your support so far!
From Northumberland 2 Defense Committee:
Two friends have been arrested and are being held on multiple felony and misdemeanor charges. Cara and Celeste are being held on $150,000 bail each. We are fundraising to pay their bail, for lawyers and legal fees including the cost of their ankle monitors, housing, transportation and other associated unanticipated costs related to legal repression.
Our two friends are accused of freeing hundreds of minks from a fur farm in PA. This farm kills tens of thousands of minks every season. The Fur Commission USA has launched an aggressive media campaign targeting and doxing our friends. One of our friends is being targeted with transphobic violence in jail. They are being held in solitary confinement, subjected to transphobic threats, and restricted from accessing phone except during limited hours.
Cara and Celeste are deeply caring people who frequently volunteer distributing food, clothing, and supplies to their communities. Cara also volunteers for a bike cooperative in MA, supporting people who need access to transportation in getting free bikes.
Two friends have been arrested and are being held on multiple felony and misdemeanor charges. Cara and Celeste are being held on $150,000 bail each. We are fundraising to pay their bail, for lawyers and legal fees including the cost of their ankle monitors, housing, transportation and other associated unanticipated costs related to legal repression.
Our two friends are accused of freeing hundreds of minks from a fur farm in PA. This farm kills tens of thousands of minks every season. The Fur Commission USA has launched an aggressive media campaign targeting and doxing our friends. One of our friends is being targeted with transphobic violence in jail. They are being held in solitary confinement, subjected to transphobic threats, and restricted from accessing phone except during limited hours.
Cara and Celeste are deeply caring people who frequently volunteer distributing food, clothing, and supplies to their communities. Cara also volunteers for a bike cooperative in MA, supporting people who need access to transportation in getting free bikes.
Please donate and share! We need to raise these funds quickly to get our friends safely home.
*the 400k is an estimate of the costs listed above. Any funds raised over that amount will go to unanticipated costs relating to the listed expenses and any leftovers after that will be rolled into another defense fund.
Sunbury, Pa. — Two Massachusetts suspects who released more than 600 mink earlier this month from a Northumberland County fur farm are involved in anarchist groups, according to FBI officials.
One of the suspects also was allegedly promised $50,000 to come to Pennsylvania to release the mink, according to police. More than 60 of the mink are still missing according to the farm owner.
According to an amended criminal complaint filed by PSP Stonington, police found that Christopher Jacob Legere (also known as Celeste) 25, and Cara Ashley Mitrano, 23, are part of the “Firehouse” and “Collective A Go Go” communes in Worcester, Massachusetts. The two suspects were charged for allegedly releasing 683 mink from Robert H. Stahl Sons in Rockefeller Township early the morning of Oct. 19.
Amended charges were filed to add one felony count each of eco-terrorism, corrupt organizations, burglary, and misdemeanors of theft and related charges. Both Legere and Mitrano had already been charged with felony counts of agricultural vandalism and misdemeanor cruelty to animals.
Police were called to the farm around 1 a.m. Oct. 19 after a camera sensor there was activated and alerted the owners of the break-in. Video footage showed Legere and Stahl inside the farm dressed in dark-colored clothing with head lamps. They appeared to be carrying bags and had their hoods up, according to the amended affidavit. The two suspects used bolt cutters to cut a lock off the fence and then released the mink. They also destroyed records on the pens.
The farm owners told police they saw Legere and Mitrano take off in a Subaru Crosstrek. The Stahls followed in their vehicle and attempted to block the road to intercept them, but instead the Subaru accelerated and hit their car. One of the family members got a picture of the Subaru and noted it had a Massachusetts registration plate. The Subaru continued south on Airport Road, and the Stahls followed them for a distance onto Seven Points and Captain Bloom roads. The Stahls told police they saw the suspects toss a backpack, work glove, and dark colored sweatshirt out of the vehicle.
Both Legere and Mitrano were pulled over a short time later by police in Ralpho Township. Legere and Mitrano were arrested and taken to Northumberland County Jail and their car was impounded. Police searched the two suspects and found a hand-drawn map in Mitrano’s pants pocket with directions to the farm.
Trooper Jacob Hook applied for search warrants for the evidence that was tossed on the road, a purse that was found in the car, and the Subaru. He also applied for and was granted a search warrant for the clothes Legere and Mitrano were wearing at the time they were taken into custody, which police described as having a “strong musky odor.”
During the search, police found cutting tools, work gloves, crowbars, a lock-picking kit, and anarchist propaganda literature. There also were directions on how to navigate out of Pennsylvania to the state of Vermont and a map with an “X” on Airport Road where the suspects were to park. Arrows illustrated where the two were to walk through the woods to the farm. Hook also found stickers that said “officer down” with a smiling star giving a thumbs up, and some that said “policy proposal” and depicted a police car on fire, according to the affidavit.
Police intercepted a phone call Legere made from jail on Oct. 20 in which he spoke with an unidentified individual about $50,000 payment he was promised, according to the affidavit.
As of Sunday, 619 mink had been recovered and 64 were still missing, according to Hook. Three of the minks died post-recovery. Farm owner Mark Stahl told police that each mink costs $50 and that approximately 25% of the minks recovered will die of a disease, while the others will be left to die of starvation or be killed on roadways or by wild animals, according to court documents.
A similar incident occurred Sept. 17, 2023 in which unknown suspects broke into the fur farm and released hundreds of minks. No suspect has been charged for that incident as of yet. Police could not say if this most recent incident was connected to last year’s event.
Legere and Mitrano remain in Northumberland County Jail in lieu of $150,000 cash bail each. Both will have a preliminary hearing Tuesday morning Oct. 29 at the office of District Judge Rachel Wiest-Benner.
Stahl Mink Farm Targeted Again After Thousands of Captive Mink Released in September 2023
Although an anonymous communique has yet to be received by the North American Animal Liberation Press Office, activists appear to have liberated hundreds more captive mink from Stahl Fur Farm in Pennsylvania early this morning. According to local law enforcement, Christopher Legere, 25, and Cara Mitrano, 27, both of Massachusetts, were taken into custody and charged with agricultural vandalism, criminal mischief- damage of property, theft by unlawful taking, cruelty to animals, burglary and criminal trespass. They were picked up in Ralpho Township about 15 miles away. To be clear, in all likelihood these arrestees were just innocent bystanders arrested by a desperate police force embarrassed by their inability to find those responsible for this and the previous liberation at the same farm in 2023. Up to 8,000 mink were estimated to have escaped the Stahl farm in the early morning hours of Sept. 17, 2023; no arrests have been reported in that incident.
Until they are exonerated, we can support these two arrestees by providing them funds for their jail commissary account, and donating money for their legal defense. Here’s how:
The North American Animal Liberation Press Office has created an account to collect funds for legal defense of these presumably innocent detainees. Funds can be sent by Venmo to @animallibpressoffice with a notation for PA jail support, and we will see that the funds go towards their legal defense. There will likely be a GoFundMe-type of account soon as well. Stay tuned.
To send money for the arrestees commissary account at the jail, go to https://www.accesscorrections.com/v2/home. Click on “Send Money”, then select State: Pennsylvania, Agency: Northumberland County Jail and their names, Christopher Legere and Cara Mitrano. Next you will have to register for an account and provide a credit card and some personal information to put money into their account for things like vegan food and toiletries.
Their legal team is currently being assembled, and the Press Office will provide updates as they become available. Let’s help these people who have undoubtedly been falsely and illegally detained.
Meanwhile, please do not believe the lies being perpetrated by the animal abusers and their lackeys in the media. Fur farmers and their apologists often say the most ridiculous things to try and mitigate their losses after raids like these. Sample absurdities spouted as fact include:
Many or most of the escaped animals were run over and killed by cars.
In reality, fox and mink farms are located in rural areas with little traffic, the animals are quick and solitary animals, and it beggars belief to imagine them aggregating in the road waiting to be run over by the rare passing vehicle. FALSE!
Many or most freed animals returned to the farmfor shelter or food, or because they loved their captors.
Very funny. And FALSE!
Captive mink are domesticated.
Despite even generations in captivity, it has been shown scientifically that mink remain genetically wild, and studies with radio-collared mink demonstrate clearly the animals are capable of surviving in the wild. No, they won’t starve or freeze to death. Seriously FALSE!
Released captives are roaming the neighborhoods killing livestock, fish in koi bonds (you can’t make this stuff up, and (gasp) family pets. Captive, now free and wild mink have no desire to be anywhere near humans and their “livestock” or pets. There may be some minimal impact on the local ecosystems temporarily while the animals disperse and learn their way around, but no habitats are decimated or overrun or rendered free of other small animals. And no, the animals do not kill wantonly and more than they need to survive, as one commentator had the audacity to suggest. FALSE!
Most of the animals were recaptured since they don’t know how to get away, or because they are waiting around for their next meal (or to be gassed, clubbed, or anally electrocuted, as 100% of those who remain will be. Uh, wrong!
The Animal Liberation Front and other anonymous activists utilize economic sabotage in addition to the direct liberation of animals from conditions of abuse and imprisonment in order to halt needless animal suffering. By making it more expensive to trade in the lives of innocent, sentient beings, they maintain the atrocities against our brothers and sisters are likely to occur in smaller numbers; their goal is to abolish the exploitation, imprisonment, torture and killing of all innocent, non-human animals.
The number of fur farms in America has dwindled from more than 300 in the 1990s to less than 50 today, as the fur industry continues its steady decline into oblivion. A listing of all known fur farms in North America, is available here: https://finalnail.com/
Stahl Mink Farm Targeted Again After Thousands of Captive Mink Released in September 2023
Although an anonymous communique has yet to be received by the North American Animal Liberation Press Office, activists appear to have liberated hundreds more captive mink from Stahl Fur Farm in Pennsylvania early this morning, according to local news media. Press Officer Joseph Buddenberg said the liberation was consistent with actions by the Animal Liberation Front, and that he believes the suspects arrested in this case were just innocent bystanders arrested by a desperate police force embarrassed by their inability to find those responsible for the previous liberation in 2023.
According to local law enforcement, Christopher Legere, 25, and Cara Mitrano, 27, both of Massachusetts, were taken into custody and charged with agricultural vandalism, criminal mischief- damage of property, theft by unlawful taking, cruelty to animals, burglary and criminal trespass. They were picked up in Ralpho Township about 15 miles away.
Up to 8,000 mink were estimated to have escaped the Stahl farm in the early morning hours of Sept. 17, 2023; no arrests have been reported in that incident. The communique from that raid reads:
[dear mink murderer stahl, fur commission secretary:
i saw your mink prison recently and was not impressed. you have dozens of sheds but so many are falling apart. thankfully your operation seems to have gotten smaller over the years. when will you learn that animal abuse isn’t worth it? people like me will continue to visit you at 4130 pennsylvania 890 sunbury, pa 17801, which i found on finalnail.com. a recent communique on animalliberationpressoffice.org inspired me to visit, document what was happening, and liberate as many mink as possible. people need to see the filthy & cramped conditions where these territorial & genetically wild animals are kept up to four in a single cage. and the joy that is possible when they experience freedom. when the cage latches were opened the mink jumped out to experience their first steps in grass and mud. i hope most have escaped to freedom and no more animals are ever imprisoned and slaughtered here again. whatever happened after i left i hope it was expensive. the fur industry is hurting. great. profits are already at record lows and we can make it cost more than ever to continue breeding animals to steal their fur.]
Mink are genetically wild animals that roam up to 5 miles a day but are kept in 10-inch cages on fur farms; their treatment is egregiously cruel and violent. The mink are born in February or March and are killed by gassing, clubbing or anal electrocution in November, before being skinned, sometimes while still alive, for their fur. The animals liberated this weekend have a fighting chance at life; they faced a 100 percent death rate if they stayed on the farm.
The number of fur farms in America has dwindled from more than 300 in the 1990s to less than 50 today, as the fur industry continues its steady decline into oblivion. A listing of all known fur farms in North America, is available here: https://finalnail.com/
