Sunday, April 8, 2007

WAR Celebrates Easter Protesting NYSE and Merck

Demo #1 - William Ford III, CEO of General Atlantic Partners & Director of NYSE

First stop was the home of William Ford who sits on the Board of Directors of the NYSE and who also acts as Chief Executive Officer of General Atlantic Partners, one of the top shareholders in the NYSE. This Sunday New Yorkers celebrated Easter Sunday and Passover. Many were taking a stroll along 5th Avenue with their kids and their dogs. It was a great opportunity to talk to families about the NYSE’s association with Huntingdon Life Sciences. Our large graphic banner was an attention-getter and even cars and buses stopped to read our signs.

Once people understand the connection between NYSE Arca and the puppy killing scum at HLS, they are horrified to learn that one of their neighbors is complicit in animal abuse. Many stopped to make supportive and encouraging remarks after hearing about beagle puppies being punched in the face and monkey being cut open alive while HLS monsters make fun of the suffering of the animals in their care.

Demo #2 - Per Lofberg, President & CEO of Merck Capital Ventures

Per Lofberg’s lovely brownstone building on 92nd Street and Madison Avenue was the location of our second protest of the afternoon. Lofberg heads up a Merck subsidiary and we all know that Merck is one of HLS’ premiere customers. It doesn’t surprise us that a sleazy drug company like Merck would cozy up with the butchers at HLS. Merck has a notorious history of its own with their failed drug Vioxx.

The same neighbor, who approached us last time we were here to tell us that Lofberg didn’t work for Merck, came out this time to tell us that we were in front of the wrong house. We explained that according to a court order we were required to be 25’ away from the front door. The neighbor complained that this put us in front of someone else’s front door. Duh, we know that. We suggested that the neighbors take it up with Per Lofberg. If it weren’t for him and his company’s association with HLS, we wouldn’t be there at all. Our chants continued to ring out on this quiet residential street as we turned our attention back to our protest. “We will never back down until they stop the killing”.

Demo #3 - Catherine Kinney, President – NYSE

Saving the best for last, we took our large banner and signs to the corner of 5th Avenue and 97th Street, the home of NYSE President, Catherine Kinney. As this demo occurred in the early evening, many Upper Eastsiders were outside walking their dogs. Plenty of pedestrian traffic inspired us to have the longest and the loudest protest of the day. Passersby were given flyers with full color photos of Catherine Kinney. Many recognized her from neighborhood or social events.

Many promised that they would write to Catherine urging the NYSE to delist the financially struggling Huntingdon Life Sciences. This not just to protect the 180,000 animals that will be murdered by HLS this year, but also to protect unwary investors that see a NYSE listing as a mark of financial confidence. We urge the NYSE to re-examine their listing of LSR (the ticker symbol for Huntingdon Life Sciences) before a lot of investors get hurt.

WAR wishes to say a special thank you to the activists that choose to spend their Easter/Passover holiday delivering such an important message to those who enable the killing to continue at Huntingdon Life Sciences.