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Sunday, Feb 1, 2026
Snug Thug by @tonyfutura
The Animal Liberation Front (ALF) is a decentralized, international group of animal rights activists known for using direct action to fight against animal abuse and exploitation. Founded in the 1970s in the United Kingdom, ALF is not a formal organization with official membership, but rather a loosely connected underground network of individuals and cells that act independently under a shared ideology.
ALF’s mission is to end animal suffering, and they typically target industries and institutions involved in practices like factory farming, animal testing, fur production, and animal-based entertainment. Their methods include liberating animals from labs and farms, vandalizing property associated with animal cruelty (such as breaking lab equipment or damaging vehicles), and publicizing evidence of abuse—often through undercover recordings or raids. They follow a guiding principle of “non-violence toward living beings,” meaning they seek to avoid harming any animal, including humans, during their operations. However, their tactics are often illegal and considered extreme.
Governments and law enforcement agencies in several countries have labeled ALF actions as domestic terrorism, especially when they involve arson, property damage, or threats. Supporters argue that their work exposes hidden cruelty and saves lives; critics counter that their tactics undermine legal activism and put people at risk.
She was a Tzotzil Maya woman and one of the most influential figures within the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) in Chiapas, Mexico. A key figure of the movement’s political and ethical vision, she embodied the intersection of indigenous resistance, gender justice, and grassroots leadership.
Ramona joined the EZLN in the early 1990s, at a time when indigenous women in Chiapas faced not only systemic poverty and state violence, but also systemic gender oppression within their own communities. She was instrumental in drafting the Women’s Revolutionary Law in 1993—a foundational text that articulated the rights of women to participate in political life, choose their partners, have access to education and healthcare, and live free from violence and forced marriage.
On January 1, 1994, when the Zapatistas rose in armed rebellion, Ramona was one of the commanders leading the occupation of San Cristóbal de las Casas. The traditional clothing juxtaposed with a black ski mask was the unofficial uniform for the movement, symbolizing a radical break from the expected roles of indigenous women in Mexico. In 1996, despite suffering from kidney failure, she traveled to Mexico City to represent the EZLN in national peace talks, marking the first time an indigenous woman played a central role in political negotiations at that level in the country.
Ramona never sought personal recognition. After the talks, she quietly returned to her community and continued her work in health and women’s organizing until her death in 2006. Her legacy persists in the continued leadership of Zapatista women and the enduring relevance of a movement that places indigenous autonomy, gender justice, and dignity at its core. Comandanta Ramona remains a symbol of resistance born not from ideology alone, but from lived experience and collective struggle.
text: @o.marrrrrrrrrr
