For Immediate Release
December 14, 2005

Press Officer and 10 Other Sea Shepherd Crew To Stand Trial for Defending Seals

Los Angeles- Dr. Jerry Vlasak, a North American Animal Liberation Press Officer, is one of eleven Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) volunteer crew to go on trial this Thursday in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada.  Dr. Vlasak was punched in the face by a "sealer" and then arrested by the RCMP last March.

Some of the 11 defendants wanted to attend their trial, but without the financial support of SSCS they are unable to do so. The crew had anticipated the chance to hold a press conference, answer questions and display the seal slaughter footage they took before being attacked by seal killers on the ice floes near the Magdalene Islands. Far from worrying about the government's case against them, the crew desires only to speak out about the atrocities and the pure and unrelenting evil done to seals by the violent seal killers on the ice. Unless Judge Nancy Orr agrees to a continuance, Lisa Shalom, a Canadian crew member will be the only defendant in court; John Mitchell will be the defendants' attorney.

Protesting the importation of Canadian seafood at a Red Lobster Restaurant in Los Angeles recently, an activist stated: "Considering the ground swell of anger around the world and in Canada against the seal killers, its surprising that a sealer hasn't yet been attacked. Tens of thousands of animal protectionists would like nothing more than to have what happens to the poor seals happen to the killers instead."

When asked by a reporter if it would be okay to use violence against the seal killers, Dr. Vlasak has said, "I believe that violence in defense of innocent animals would be morally justified –and I am simply making the beliefs of thousands of animal rights activists public. Those very words got me ousted as a board member from Sea Shepherd, but I stand by them and without regret. If it were your child or companion being clubbed to death, would violence in self-defense not be morally justified in order to stop it?” 

For more information or to obtain footage of the seal kill please call or e-mail the North American Animal Liberation Press Office on:

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