starting an animal rights group... ADVICE NEEDED!!!

[toma_Paella!!!]

Hello

(( this is much of an important thing for me, so I would ask the administrators to let me start a new thread...
thank you very much ))

Well, I live in Spain (as I was born here, hehe), and have been a vegetarian for years, and a vegan for a few months...
I have always been really worried about this topic, especially because the situation in my country is pretty sad... there's just nothing in the media about vegetarianism or animal rights, and barely a 0,9% of the population is vegetarian/vegan...

So, me and a few friends from my university have though of doing something to spread the message in our society, by creating a local group which we hope will group in number eventually... (this is also because the organizations fighting for animal lib/ animal rights/ animal protection barely do anything apart from gathering signatures once a year against bullfighting, but that's pretty much it... ). But we wanna do things right, and go little by little...

So far, our idea is to create a new forum for vegetarian/vegan people in Spain (and above all in the capital, Madrid, where we all live), and post it in every single veggie restaurant of the city, as well as in the public universities and so on... so we can get people together...

Then, if we do it right, organizing a group of activist won't be difficult, and from there everything's possible...
Our activities for the next few months are going to be basically boycotting publicity of the meat industry (and more specifically of companies such as KFC or BurgerKing), setting up information tables in the main plazas of the city, and organizing some demonstrations in public places...

That's all we've though about so far...

We have plenty of enthusiasm and will to fight for it, but I think we would need some advice, and so we're open to receive all kinds of comments and advices...

Thank you so much

[The_Lincoln_Imp]

Hello

(( this is much of an important thing for me, so I would ask the administrators to let me start a new thread...
thank you very much ))

Well, I live in Spain (as I was born here, hehe), and have been a vegetarian for years, and a vegan for a few months...
I have always been really worried about this topic, especially because the situation in my country is pretty sad... there's just nothing in the media about vegetarianism or animal rights, and barely a 0,9% of the population is vegetarian/vegan...

So, me and a few friends from my university have though of doing something to spread the message in our society, by creating a local group which we hope will group in number eventually... (this is also because the organizations fighting for animal lib/ animal rights/ animal protection barely do anything apart from gathering signatures once a year against bullfighting, but that's pretty much it... ). But we wanna do things right, and go little by little...

So far, our idea is to create a new forum for vegetarian/vegan people in Spain (and above all in the capital, Madrid, where we all live), and post it in every single veggie restaurant of the city, as well as in the public universities and so on... so we can get people together...

Then, if we do it right, organizing a group of activist won't be difficult, and from there everything's possible...
Our activities for the next few months are going to be basically boycotting publicity of the meat industry (and more specifically of companies such as KFC or BurgerKing), setting up information tables in the main plazas of the city, and organizing some demonstrations in public places...

That's all we've though about so far...

We have plenty of enthusiasm and will to fight for it, but I think we would need some advice, and so we're open to receive all kinds of comments and advices...

Thank you so much

Not downplaying your idea at all but have you researched existing groups? Perhaps if there aren't many of you it's best to unify and support current groups you agree with than spread out thinly. Maybe you could be a regional chapter of a wider umbrella. It all depends on if you share core ideals. PETA obviously do the naked run against bullfighting protest.

I'm sure in a way it's more the merrier though, especially regarding forums for communicating different ideas.

[Gliondrach]

If you do set up a group, make sure that you use a post office box for correspondence. You don't want lunatic butchers to know where any of you live. Stress on all your printed material, and any letters that you write to newspapers, that you are opposed to violence, and that you are law abiding. Appoint certain people to do certain jobs. Get a bank account for the Group's money. If you eventually set up a stall somewhere make sure that you are not breaking any local bye-laws by being there. That way, the police can't legally move you on. Have a place where your stall is usually set up so that people know where to come to see you.

Good luck.

Regards Martin.

[Stormypagan]

All good advice so far!!

An animal rights stall is always a good way to get other interested and also gain new faces for the group. In the past I used to run a weekly AR stall, with other AR people in the town I lived, and in my experience so many people are willing to support you, from signing petitions to donating money, and some even ask if they can help out. It is a brilliant way to recruit new people, and also get the message across. Each local council has a policy on 'do-it-yourself' informational stalls in their towns, we used to just go for it and hope not to get moved but as Gliondrach says it maybe better to find out the local by-laws :0) And I don't know what Spain is like for that!!

Also, as you are in university I am sure they have some sort of student union which in my experience would support groups within the uni (unless, it has all changed since I was at uni). The AR group we set up in the uni I was at, got quite a bit of support from the student union, and we even got to use the mini-bus to go to demos.

Anyway, it is great to hear what you are doing and especially as I think animal rights is still an issue that spain is coming to terms with, no disrespect to your culture. So good luck :0)

Love and light
Xxxx Stormy xxxX

[snaffler]

The best advice I can give is like another poster has said work in partnership with well established orgs. Work with them on their campaigns as most stuff is all covered so people are needed to spread the word.

Get local interest and members to help also never give out the following

Your home address
Your home phone number
Your place of work

Not even to members.

I am involved a in the Hunt Saboteurs Association in the UK and if a hunter or some animal abusers know anything about you I can assure you they will one day do something stupid in revenge for you trying to stop their bloody activities.

[toma_Paella!!!]

thanks a lot to everyone

yes, I have been looking for existing animal liberation/antiespecist groups in my city, and apart from an obsolete little organization which was dissolved about a year and a half ago, I haven't found a single thing...

It is basically the main reason for which I'm willing to start a local group here in Madrid, and also because I think that (at least in the big cities) the mentalities are changing, and if we do things right it could be successful...
We believe as well that gathering once a month to ask for signatures against circus is not enough... people are never become aware of the issue by things like this... we believe that the best way to spread a message like this is to make sure people hear you, to get a bit of popularity at least amongst young people, and so we're gonna work for it...

On the other hand, I had heard about a month ago about a new groups that has been created in Spain, and I will meet with a couple of their members probably next week to discuss about the topic...
Cooperation is essential, but having different points of view doesn't mean we can't collaborate with each other and work together when possible..

--->
Thanks a lot for the comment about never giving out your own information...
that is something I will definitely try to protect myself against, there's of course lots of people out there who would be willing to get their revenge if you harm what they consider theirs...
I will take it into consideration, thanks a lot

About asking our university for support... well, I'm afraid there ain't gonna be support for little groups like ours by the public administrations, but we surely can try to gain support amongst the students themselves...

I hope you're right and there will be more and more people willing to give us a hand in our fight... we really hope so and will do our best, after all young people use to be the ones getting involved in this kind of causes...

Do you guys have any ideas, though, about the kind of actions most suitable to perform at the beginning (apart from giving leaflets to people and little demonstrations against certain companies... )??

Thank you so much for your advice

((ps: sorry is there are mistakes in the text... unfortunately I haven't been able to practice my English for a few months... )

[pat sommer]

decide on your focus. Will you be pushing for people to go vegan or asking for better conditions for factory animals, for instance. That kind of core consensus among founding members will save endless debate down the road.... once settled it is money and membership that will make so much possible... but to get people your group must be seen to be DOING something. Investigative journalism gets in the media and impresses folks stopping by your stall: "these are pictures I took of the conditions...". Street theatre is cheap and popular: inviting folks to spend time in a cage as a battery hen or my favorite (works only for non-threatening female): dressing up as a butcher with an ax and knives and prowling around admiring the tender little roast in the baby-buggy or the too tough and gamey hamhocks on a muscle man. Humour and a good position on a pedestrian shopping street are GOLD. And yes, having somewhere to invite interested people monthly is great. Many members will come to meetings several times before stepping forward to be active.
Start smiling and using your charm.. you will need many favors! Getting QUALITY set-ups for stalls and displays can mean kissing-ass but hey, it's for the animals. Our biggest asset while I was in Munich was the manager of consessions for the olympic stadium; he let us display for FREE even at big-money concerts; we treated him like mother theresa! People with big vehicles, access to company photo-copiers, connections to venues or regulating officials really get a group up on it's feet. People are happy to give for the animals if you show them how (and thank them with flowers and vegan chocolate)!

[toma_Paella!!!]

hey

thank you so much for the post!

I wrote this about 3 months ago, and fortunately many things have happened after that. We have finally formed our group, it's called Gaia (www.gaia-online.es) and we have about 10 activists/members so far. Being Spain, it's definitely something we can't complain about. We've done a couple of protests so far, and it's been quite successful, since we were on the media both times. We're currently working on some materials and hand-outs to give to people, but appart from that the work is pretty much done.

Now... you're right. It's time to become popular amongst people and try to get to them. We're gonna have to do our best cuz people here are prone to be very, very close-minded. Working in Berlin should have been way easier, hehe, but we'll definitely do our best. And about the ass-kissing thing, I completely agree , it's for animals after all.
Our next two actions are going to be almost in Christimas, and both against the killing of animals for food (meat industry and consumption), using Xmas as the background in the first one, and copying the campaing carried out by PETA Deutschland "Wir alle haben die gleichen Teile" (we all have the same parts), painting our naked body with all the animal parts meant to be made into meat, and showing people images of slaughterhouses and blah blah blah.
Anyway, as soon as we do it I'll let you guys know how it goes

So... have you worked as an activist before? How was your experience?

Thanks a lot!!

Paz y luz

[toma_Paella!!!]

Oh, and I forgot to say... we're not of those who ask for better conditions for farm animals, we fight for animal liberation.

Last question... where can I get vegan chocolate?????

Thanks a lot

[Tigerlily]

That site doesn't work.

[toma_Paella!!!]

Oh, sorry!

Yeah, it's still under construction, within a week or so it will be ready

[pat sommer]

I worked for the US military for years in Germany so couldn't be ACTIVE until I left. Did an internship at PETA in US several weeks in 94 then worked with Animal Peace in Munich on a daily basis (while a baker's apprentice) and did stuff for PETA Deutschland based in Stuttgart whenever they could use me. Since 99 travelled widely and only sporadically active (big plans for future). The folks I worked with were brilliant and sacrificed so much. The tough bits were trying to work with conservative "welfare" groups and the politics of Animal Peace at the national level. I believe cooperation is getting better amongst groups (could't get worse!) and having your own independant group is liberating.
Get that site up and running so we can donate!

[toma_Paella!!!]

thank you so much guys

being vegan at the military... that shoulda been pretty tough...

[pat sommer]

ya, there were a few of us veggie subversives on the kid's recreation program we did. Nice to be a positive influence

[dean bracher]

Well done for your efforts so far and i wish you support for this, fighting for the animals is an expression of your love for life and all its beings not just humans.

Promote the restaurants as well, and meet at a regalar venue to discuss your plans. A veggie/vegan restaurant will always like your trade. Be sure to keep things constistant and never let personally conflicts break the groups agenda of liberation and release for the billions of animals around the world and those in spain.

Giving free vegan food away is a good way to get people over and then talk about animal rights and vegan foods, give them leaflets and welcome new group members, you can take loads of numbers but they often never get in touch so call them or text them with things you are doing.

Keep doing what you believe in and it will change the world, thats all you can do. Good luck with all the hard work you are doing and take care.