The U.S. government has spent decades crafting laws designed to silence animal rights activists, from ag-gag legislation that criminalizes whistleblowing to the prosecution of protesters as terrorists. In this revised and updated edition, attorney Dara Lovitz exposes how corporate greed and political fear have systematically stripped activists of their First Amendment protections.
Through meticulous analysis of landmark cases like SHAC-7 and the evolution of counterterrorism law, Lovitz reveals the chilling machinery of suppression. But this isn’t just a legal autopsy. This is a multigenerational conversation. Veteran activists from the underground movement of the 1990s share hard-won wisdom and today’s campaigners offer a fresh take and respectful revision of obsolete tactics. This conversation shines a spotlight on the past and present, while providing a roadmap for the future of the movement.
Muzzling a Movement is essential reading for activists, legal scholars, and anyone committed to transparency, justice, and a cruelty-free future.
“Dara Lovitz finds a way to be humorous and sassy without being condescending or disrespectful. The writing—especially the chapters about activism—moves at an almost perfect clip: gently, but with purpose and light, yet always on solid factual ground. With expert cred, thorough research, bottomless knowledge, and fun personality, Lovitz hit a grand slam with this book.”—Robert Wayner, author of the musical The Beautiful Resistance
“Missing from my twenty-year journey from grass roots animal rights activist to organizer of pressure campaigns was Muzzling a Movement. This fascinating book about the modern history of the animal rights movement is essential reading for anyone serious about effecting change for animals. While Muzzling a Movement has affirmed my own style of activism, it has also compelled me to ask myself some tough questions. Have my provocative tactics done more harm than good? Am I stepping far enough out of my comfort zone to maximize my impact? Could I have done better a better job as a campaign organizer if I’d known more about the activism that came before me? Muzzling a Movement is not only helping me grapple with these questions, but is also serving as a resource for me as I continue organizing for animals.”—Donny Moss, video producer and founder of the animal rights group TheirTurn
“Muzzling a Movement shows just how far government will go to prop up systems of exploitation and how determined those seeking to end them can be. The animal liberation movement is entwined with the climate movement, and in a moment of increasing peril for climate activists, the lessons of this book are urgent.”—Alex Bomstein, executive director of Clean Air Council
