Animal Activists’ Activities Limited

Superior Court Judge Abby Soven has issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting harassment of UCLA faculty members at their homes and other disruptive activities by Last Chance for Animals, an anti-vivisection group opposed to the use of animals in scientific research.

The injunction issued May 26 specifies that Last Chance for Animals and six of its leaders cannot threaten, intimidate, harass or annoy UCLA faculty at their homes; break into or block UCLA facilities; interfere with or obstruct the teaching, research or other functions of the Westwood campus, or destroy any property belonging to the regents of the University of California.

UCLA spokesman Richard Elbaum said the group has broken into campus laboratories where research involving animals has been under way and has harassed faculty members who conduct such research.

Christopher Rose, president of Last Chance for Animals who was named in the injunction, said the ruling is “a direct infringement of our constitutional rights” that “just goes to show the power of these institutions.”

“They can dictate their own law,” he said. “But in no way will this deter us. We will prevail.”