New York, N.Y. -- By the time I had arrived at the Manhattan Center at 9:30
a.m., there were anti-fur stickers everywhere. Pay phones, buildings,
windows, trees, virtually every surface was well - decorated with those little
round stickers with that simple message: "No Fur." You couldn't walk five
feet without seeing them everywhere. It was time for the first of what
would be a series of protests that would last until 8:30 p.m.
The occasion? Fur Fashion Week in New York City.
Fur Fashion 'Week', once the brilliant gem of the fur fashion
industry, has now shrunk to a two-day series of events. Highlighted by much
pomp and glitz in the past, Fur Fashion Week now struggles to generate any
media coverage whatsoever.
Knowing this, activists from as far away as Syracuse and Virginia converged
upon Manhattan to mark the beginning of the end of this sad display of
cruelty and bad taste. These demonstrations, masterminded by the combined
efforts of ADL-NJ, NJARA and ADL-NY, were the beginning of a busy two-day
series of anti-fur events.
As the designers, models, and death merchants filed into the Manhattan
Center, they were greeted by more than two dozen activists and videos of
fur farms playing to pedestrians. The abusers were approached and attempts
were made to engage them in conversation. Their reactions ranged from
ignoring us to giving us the finger along with a "fuck you" to spitting on
us. They were clearly uncomfortable with being put on the spot and having
to defend their indefensible industry.
The demonstrations at this location lasted until 4:30 p.m. when the last
fashion show of the day ended. When leaving the Manhattan Center, corpse
show participants were again confronted by activists and with the images
and sounds of animals being killed and tortured by neck breaking, trapping,
and genital or anal electrocution. We made it very clear that their
industry is not wanted in New York.
After a break in the action, the activists made the voyage uptown to
Central Park. Actions were scheduled at the world famous Tavern on the
Green restaurant in Central Park, the site of a fundraiser for FICA. While
the fur world got ready for their high-brow event, 60 activists were present
to make sure everyone attending the dinner dance was given a warm New York
welcome!
At the end of a round of fashion shows on the second day, the furriers
thought their troubles were over, as that evening, a private,
invitation-only party at the Spy Bar was believed to have been kept secret.
Much to their surprise, they were greeted by two dozen very angry and very
loud activists. One furrier was heard to say, "How did they find out about
this? It was supposed to be a secret!"
New York police officers ordered the protesters to move across the street
and down half a block. After some confrontation, the activists refused to
move, maintaining their position in front of the building next to the Spy
Bar. When the demonstrators moved closer to the Spy Bar entrance, police
forcibly pushed activists down the block and across the street, throwing
many to the ground in the process. Three ADL-NJ members were arrested and
charged with disorderly conduct. The officers' actions were caught on
videotape, and legal action is being considered.
The two days of action ended on a positive note: the new owner of the Spy Bar informed activists that he agrees with their anti-fur stance and will not welcome the furriers back for the next Fur Fashion Week...if there is one.