Animal rights activists damage store, homes

Radical animal rights activists apparently vandalized a family-owned fur retail store in San Diego as well as attacking the homes of the store?s owners.

Kimberley Graf of Furs By Graf in Clairemont Mesa said the family business has been vandalized by activists about a dozen times over the past 30 years. But this is the first time that her parents? home and her home also were targeted.

That escalation has unnerved the family. ?When you have elderly parents and they are terrorized and attacked, it?s not easy,? said Graf. The family is working with law enforcement agencies to investigate the incidents.

The vandalism occurred July 14 or early July 15. A Florida-based animal rights magazine published a statement on its Web site from an animal rights group claiming responsibility. The statement called the attackers ?anarchists in San Diego.?

Calls to the animal rights group were not returned Sunday evening. UT-San Diego is not naming the group because it can?t confirm its involvement.

Furs by Graf?s windows were covered with eroding etching solution, and slogans were sprayed on the exterior with red paint. Foul smelling acid was also sprayed into the store, according to the statement.

Graf confirmed the damage and added that locks were glued. The store has reopened, she said.

At Graf?s home and the home of her parents, vehicles, driveways and porches were damaged by acid, paint stripper and spray paint ? including a recreational vehicle, according to the statement.

Graf declined to confirm details about the damage at the residences.

?How would you like to have your home attacked?? she said. ?Put yourself in our shoes. Any logical person would be up upset about it.?

Graf did not have an estimate of the cost of the damages. ?I?m careful about what I say because that is really what these people want ? the publicity,? she said.

The claim of responsibility may help law enforcement find the attackers, said Graf. San Diego Police and the San Diego County Sheriff?s Office had no one on duty Sunday who could comment on the case.

Source: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/jul/21/Animal-rights-vandalism-attack-homes/

nascar bristol narwhal st louis university mario manningham mario manningham williams syndrome hoya