Animal rights groups have reportedly claimed responsibility for burning down a summer house belonging to Novartis' CEO, and desecrating the grave sites of his mother and another relative. More from a recent article in Security Management magazine. Other attacks have reportedly involved company employees. These are insane times.
Ironically, the testing lab behind the controversy is one that Novartis says it hasn't worked with for years. Taking the position that vivisection is morally wrong is valid. But why is it that some people who feel strongly about this issue work on developing in vitro testing alternatives or on legislation, while the rest resort to grave tampering, arson and terrorism? How can they expect to be taken seriously or to enter into a dialogue advancing their agenda? (For the good old days when PETA only sprayed paint on fur coats...)
AMS