‘It came out of real frustration’: the 90s activist network that set fires to save a burning planet
This article examines the history of the Earth Liberation Front (ELF), a 1990s eco-anarchist group that used sabotage and arson to protest environmental destruction. It questions whether their radical tactics served as a precursor to modern climate activism.
Why it matters
It provides historical context for radical environmentalism and the ongoing debate over the effectiveness of non-violent versus militant protest tactics.
Protesters, some proclaiming to be supporters of Earth Liberation Front, march in Portland, Oregon, in February 2002. Protesters, some proclaiming to be supporters of Earth Liberation Front, march in Portland, Oregon, in February 2002. Protest (US) ‘It came out of real frustration’: the 90s activist network that set fires to save a burning planet Matthew Wolfe’s Fires in the Night examines Earth Liberation Front, a US eco-anarchist movement, and its legacy of radical environmentalism
Prefer the Guardian on Google A re echoes of 1990s radical environmentalism returning louder or fading away? It’s a question posed by Fires in the Night, a new book on the history of the Earth Liberation Front (Elf), a loosely grouped band of US Pacific north-west activists that used economic sabotage and arson to protest environmental destruction.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in