A car belonging to a University of California, Los Angeles, researcher who uses primates to study drug addiction, schizophrenia and other disorders was targeted by animal rights activists early Saturday morning (March 7).

The Animal Liberation Front, an animal rights group that has been connected to acts of vandalism and violence in the past, has posted on its website a message from the Animal Liberation Brigade claiming responsibility for the firebombing.

According to The Los Angeles Times, which broke the story, the FBI is investigating the "suspicious arson" involving a homemade incendiary device that burned the car as it sat parked outside the unidentified researcher's home. No one was injured.

UCLA chancellor Gene Block condemned the incident and UCLA is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of individuals responsible for the crime. "The actions of extremists who use violent and illegal tactics are utterly reprehensible and beyond contempt," Block said in a UCLA statement. "UCLA police continue to work with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies to bring to justice those responsible for such unconscionable acts, and I encourage anyone with information to come forward."

Researchers in the UC system are no strangers to acts of violence perpetrated by animal rights activists, with researchers from UC, Santa Cruz to UC, Berkeley being targeted in recent years.


Related stories:

Monkey lab in hot water
[5th March 2009]

Animal rights activists jailed
[21st January 2009]

The War on Animal Research
[April 2008]