GABRIEL VILLENEUVE UPDATES - SHAC ACTIVIST IN JAIL

ELP Information Bulletin (17th March 2008)

Dear friends

ELP has received the following mailout from Canadian Animal Rights Prisoner, Gabriel Villeneuve's supporters.

1-Message from Gabriel Villeneuve
2-First court appearance this Thursday - come to show your support!
3-Gabriel Villeneuve - political prisoner

-------------------
1-Message from Gabriel Villeneuve

Dear supporters,

Thank you for your kind words and your support. I have been receiving a
lot of mail from all over the world. It's amazing to see all the support
I get. You all make my time in jail a lot easier and help me to keep my
focus. I feel a lot less alone in my cell with tons of support of all of
you who fight for a common cause. You can't imagine how good it feels to
receive letters of support. It's the only thing that connects us
prisoners, to the rest of the animal right scene. Now I know that I'm not
alone.

I'm doing well here; the first five days were ruff because the jail staff
refused to give me vegan food so I starve until they realize I was not
going to eat unless I was served vegan food. So now I eat beans and salad
every single meal...at least I eat! I use this time to do positive things
like exercising, reading, writing, sleep and rest. I usually work more
than 60 hours a week on the SHAC campaign so it's appreciated rest but I
feel a lot of frustration that I'm stuck here and no longer useful for the
animals. However I know that when I will get out I will have more energy
and rage to fight even harder.

As for my arrest and my imprisonment, I obviously think it's totally
outrageous and a disgusting violation of the basic international human
rights and the freedom of speech act guaranteed by the Canadian
constitution. This situation is only making me stronger and more
determined as an activist. I have food, a place to go outside to work
out, people to socialize with, visits from my family, and even more
important, the insurance that one day I will be free. My situation is
luxury compared to what billions of animals have to go through every
single day. They don't have that opportunity to be released one day. For
them, the only way out is death. They only have us, animal rights
activists that have the ability to shut down those animal research labs,
fur farms, slaughterhouses and all the other industries that abuse not
only animals but humans and Mother Earth too. It doesn't matter if they
shut down because of boycott, political pressure, direct actions or other
means. What matters is that they shut down as quickly as possible. We
must use the most effective tactics to achieve our goals as there are
lives on the line.

A lot of people write me that I am an inspiration to them and even a hero.
I appreciate your kind words but seriously I am not special, I don't have
special skills or power; anyone can do what I do and a lot more. All you
need is determination. Even if you have a full time job or go to school,
making phone calls and writing letters to animal abusers scum bags or
participating one hour a week at a demonstration, is possible for anyone.
You don't have to work full time, all you need is consistency. This is
how we're going to achieve our goal. For me my heroes are people who have
families to take care, a full time job and bills to pay, and still take
the time every single week to end all forms of injustice. It is up to all
of us to act on our convictions.

I hope to hear from you soon and hear about all the great things you do
for animal liberation. Thanks again for your support, it is much
appreciated.

P.S. A lot of my mail is not given to me by the prison staff (or takes
weeks to be given to me) so don't worry if I didn't answer your letter
yet. I will write you back for sure as soon as I get your letter.

WORDS AND TEARS MEAN NOTHING, ACTION MEANS EVERYTHING!

UNTIL ALL ARE FREE!

Gab

---------------------------
2-First court appearance this Thursday - come to show your support!

Come to support Gabriel Villeneuve at his first court appearance and its
possible release from jail!

Where? Palais de Justice de Québec, room 2.10
When? Thursady March 20, 2008
Time : 9 :30am

If you need transportation, please contact us at 514-966-6460 /
shaccanada@riseup.net

Flyer in attachment
------------------------

3-Gabriel Villeneuve - political prisoner
(Flyer in attachment)

While out of town to give a talk and a workshop on direct action and SHAC
tactics, Gabriel Villeneuve and 3 other activists were arrested and thrown
in jail on Friday Feb. 22 in Quebec city, Canada (near Montreal) for
allegibly participating in a demonstration against a company that do
business with Huntingdon life Sciences. They presumably went inside a
company office armed with a megaphone banner and informative flyers. They
informed the workers and customers about the relation the company has with
HLS and left the property as soon as someone asks them to leave.

Apparently freedom of speech covered by the Canadian constitution doesn't
cover freedom to express our disgust against companies who see no problems
of paying and supporting the murder of 500 animals a day at HLS. Everyone
was eventually released out of jail after 3 days but authorities decided
to keep Gabriel for a much longer and not determined period of time
because the Judge didn't believe Gab when he said that he wasn't at the
protest and because of his activism history regarding animal rights
protests. Gabriel is a long time SHAC activist and is someone who, a few
years ago, decided to put everything aside in his life to dedicate his
life to help shut down HLS. He is a great source of inspiration for many
people, please support him.

You can send him postal cards, letters, pictures (no Polaroid), drawing,
news clip, internet articles, Canadian and international stamps and money
order. He is not allowed to receive books, magazine and other material.

You can also write him letters by email (at shaccanada@riseup.net)which
will be printed and sent to him by his prisoners support committee. He
would like to receive short letters more often than long letters only
once.

He would like to hear about all kinds of actions that is going on in your
area and everywhere else in the world. He likes DIY punk rock, hardcore,
black history, general activism causes and vegan raw nutrition. Gab
biggest wish while in jail is to see a rise in the amount of
demonstrations and all types of actions across the world against HLS.

Please take a few minutes to write him a letter!

Gabriel Villeneuve #HUL03299801
500, de la Faune
Case Postale 87130
Québec, Québec
G1G 5E4
CANADA

-
SHAC Canada

Canada west coast-VANCOUVER
#102 - 2250 Commercial Drive
Vancouver BC, V5N 5P9
Canada
778-554-SHAC(7422)

Canada East coast-MONTREAL
PO 47579
1550 rue de Maisonneuve
Montreal,QC
H3G 2V7
Canada
514-966-6460

shaccanada@riseup.net
www.SHAC.net

++++++++++++++++++

Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network
BM Box 2407
London
WC1N 3XX
England
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk