APRIL 20TH – 30TH 

At its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on April 20, LVMH will come together with their investors to count their blood money and divy their spoils. 

So while they are in Paris toasting to their profits, we will be across the planet, making them pay the costs.

This is LVMH’s most important event of the year. It is their moment to market themselves as a corporation – and just like their brand marketing, they are obsessed with being the best.

The best doesn’t just mean profitable. It means security and sustainability. 

They have turned on a spotlight and called the global financial sector to attention to highlight their performance in those areas. Unfortunately for them, those are our specialties.

We have had enough with LVMH’s apathy for both wildlife and the environment. It is time LVMH incorporates a fur-free policy into their sustainability initiative – it is time they enact a fur-free policy. 

Global Actions are vital for Animal Liberation 

We are confronting some of the most violent industries on the planet. They have infinite resources with a single priority: maximum profits. If we are going to stand a chance at defeating fur we need to be united and work together. 

NO ACTION IS TO SMALL 

Some cities have the numbers to have protests flood into the streets and bring traffic to a halt while others wreak havoc without even covering the sidewalk. It does not matter if you have 100 people or 1, when we are working together every single action taken matters. This is a collective effort; if one person is standing outside of a Louis Vuitton in 20 cities around the world, our adversaries are going to take notice. In a global campaign 1 person can make a difference. 

Tactics to bring down the fur industry 

DEMONSTRATIONS

Protests are our bread and butter and these are at the top of our lists for this Valentine’s Day weekend. This coalition has not won 9 campaigns by asking nicely, we have done it with demands backed up by action. CAFT will be in the streets everyday of this action. 

EDUCATION

LVMH and Max Mara are well aware of their crimes against wildlife. While we may not be able to educate them into going for free, we can educate their customers and the public. Public opinion is on our side when it comes to the fur issue and this is the perfect opportunity to get people involved in animal rights. 

• Petitions for Wildlife

This is a classic approach to social change that is welcoming to the whole family. CAFT has a petition that you can get people to sign in the streets. 

• Leafleting

Simple and to the point – if you need materials you can reach out to the organizing team and we will send you some literature. 

• Video Outreach 

The popularity of video outreach in the animal rights movement is at 

an all time high. CAFT encourages organizers to participate in ways they are comfortable so we have a video you can download and play in a loop that can be found here.

PROPAGANDA

• Wheat Pasting 

There is a reason corporations pay millions of dollars to advertise their brands on every street corner around the world – it works. Being omnipresent is vital for animal rights to become a real discussion amongst everyday citizens. Shaming the brands still invested in fur is an excellent way to participate in this weekend of action. You can download posters for wheat pasting here. 

• Stickers

Activism has never been so easy. Spread awareness with stickers. You can order stickers by messaging us at organize@caftusa.org. 

INNOVATE

• Get creative

Have an idea that is not listed above? Go for it. We love seeing what people come up with and encourage you to act up for animals in whatever way empowers you and your community. 

REPORT

No matter what you do in your city against the fur trade, make sure you document your action with videos, pictures and send them to action@caftusa.org so that we can include them in the action report. 

SOLIDARITY WITH THE PARIS CONVERGENCE

This global action is in solidarity with the Paris Convergence and is intended to amplify the screams of the countless animals on fur farms that LVMH and their shareholders ignore. 

If you are able to be in person in Paris, contact us at parisaction@caftusa.org

If you need help organizing a action in your city, contact us at organize@caftusa.org 

NONVIOLENT ACTIVIST ARRESTED FOR DEFENSE OF WILDLIFE

For Immediate Release:

03/18/2022

Contact

Tyler Smith

(607)-323-1312

THIRD ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST ARRESTED IN BEVERLY HILLS 

(Beverly Hills, CA) – On Saint Patrick’s Day Friday, Los Angeles Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade USA (CAFT USA) made their way to Marina Rinaldi to protest the fact the brand does not have a fur-free policy. During the protest, a struggle broke out, in which one of the security guards grabbed an activist’s sign and megaphone in an attempt to remove them. The activist did not resist his endeavors, prompting the guard to call for backup, as well as police presence. Upon their arrival, police took the activist into custody under charges of “disturbing the peace.”

This is the third arrest in the campaign thus far, and activists have not been dissuaded from showing up to protest the company’s continued sale of fur. CAFT USA’s campaign director Matthew Klein states “Physical aggression’s and questionable arrests will not stop wildlife advocates from speaking out against Marina Rinaldi. We will settle for nothing short of a fur-free policy.”

Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade (CAFT USA) – exists to forever end the killing of wildlife for their fur. CAFT USA has protests scheduled against Marina Rinaldi and their parent company Max Mara around the world to demand that fashion finally stops using fur.

###

Donate to the support fund at the link here.

5 WAYS TO FORCE MAX MARA TO GO FUR-FREE  

1. ORGANIZE!

Without action, our words are nothing more than idle threats. If we want to see changes in Max Mara’s policy, our demands need to be more than lip service. Organize a protest, call in, email blockade – anything to get their attention. 

Our campaigns are decentralized and everyone is encouraged to join. 

2. BE ANNOYING – IT IS A CAFT TRADITION 

We are going up against one of the most violent industries on the planet: they are not going to give up by simply asking nicely. We want the CEO of Max Mara to wake up every morning wondering what the hell we will do next. 

Be the thorn in their side, the squeaky wheel that simply won’t shut up. 

3. BE RELENTLESS WITH OUR DEMANDS TO PROTECT WILDLIFE

The push to get Max Mara to go fur-free does not have to be a long one; the choice is theirs. Since the launch of our campaign,they have been removing fur from their website and locking their doors when activists show up for a protest. This can only be done for so long, and frequent actions are key to shortening the timeline to victory.

 The more demos the better. 

4. NUMBERS DO NOT MATTER

Protesting multiple times a week is exhausting and the reality is that only the most dedicated activists are willing to do it. That is fine, it does not matter if there is one activist or twenty. As long as Max Mara is annoyed, you have pushed them one step closer to going fur-free.  

3 activists with 3 megaphones are just as loud as 20 activists with 3 megaphones. 

5. SURPRISE, WE ARE BACK 

Keep Max Mara on their toes by showing up unannounced!

We want Max Mara looking over their shoulder in anticipation of our next action. Show up right when they open, an hour before they close, or at their next event. Be unpredictable. 

If you have never organized an action, reach out to us by signing up for The Action Team. Does not matter where you are or who you are, we are here to help get you on the streets for animals. 

In December 2022, Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH, became the richest person on the planet. Through cruel and ruthless business practices, especially towards animals, he has accrued a fortune of over 200 billion dollars. As the owner of 75 world renowned luxury brands, Bernard Arnault has all the resources in the world, and an immense amount of power. Yet he doesn’t use this power for the benefit of others; he uses it to poison our environment and massacre foxes, minks and raccoon dogs by the millions.

The innocent animals killed for LVMH’s bottom line are raised on farms where they never experience a day of normalcy in their life – others are trapped and ripped from their natural habitat. All while the toxic runoff from industrial fur farming operations destabilizes delicate ecosystems, threatening all wildlife. All so LVMH brands like Louis Vuitton, Dior and Fendi can sell fur coats.

Arnault and his conglomerate were always going to be the toughest opponent the anti-fur movement would ever face. With this recent development, that fact has become even more clear. It’s going to take nothing less than an internationally unified grassroots effort to force LVMH’s hand to go fur-free. Bernard Arnault may have all the money in the world, but he will never have our resolve. For the furred animals he continues to oppress for profit, we will carry on the fight.

Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade (CAFTUSA) – exists to forever end the killing of wildlife for their fur. CAFT has protests scheduled against LVMH around the world. Join us on the streets for the upcoming global action against LVMH from 4/10 – 4/11.

On Thursday, just 8 days after Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade announced their new campaign, two Los Angeles activists were arrested while protesting outside Max Mara. 

This 4-person demonstration is yet another example of how strong any action has the potential to be, regardless of size. After the first arrest, the remaining activists continued up until Max Mara shut their doors, which was followed by the final arrest. Both activists were kept overnight and released early this morning, only to head straight back to Max Mara and show them that our voices will not be silenced by arrests or intimidation tactics. The two are still facing charges and have court dates set to determine their fates. 

We have already incurred $2500 from these arrests and there is a possibility that fines and lawyer fees could raise that amount even more. Any and all help would be much appreciated. 

Once the police showed up the first activist was arrested for the possession of an “incendiary device” – the smoke flare – that later got reduced to possession  of a destructive device. This same activist was also charged with “defacing property” which we assume is for chalking a sidewalk a week ago (which we ourselves cleaned up after the protest was over)- both of these charges are misdemeanors. The other activist was arrested for allegedly “assaulting a police officer”. We are still unclear as to what assault took place but this is a felony offense and is a very serious accusation. 

LVMH and Max Mara 

LVMH and Max Mara Group are two fashion conglomerates that have no empathy for wildlife. They are some of the last brands to still use fur and it is our mission to make sure they enact fur-free policies. These two brands will be the focus of the weekend of action. 

LVMH is our long term campaign and there have been nearly 400 protests against them worldwide. They are the largest luxury brand in the world run by the wealthiest person in the world, Bernard Arnault. LVMH owns nearly all the iconic brands still selling fur in their collections such as Louis Vuitton, Dior and Fendi. LVMH is a powerhouse in the fashion industry and they have the ability to set trends and break them. If we ever want to see an end to fur – we need LVMH to be committed to a fur-free policy. 

Max Mara is a brand new campaign that CAFT just launched. They are an Italian brand that currently sells the dead bodies of minks and foxes in their collections. They are no stranger to protests from the animal rights movement and they stood up against international pressure in 2010 staged by a grassroots effort very similar to ours. Success against Max Mara requires hitting them hard. For this reason we ask every city that has a Max Mara target to make them your priority for this weekend of action. 

Global Actions are vital for Animal Liberation 

We are confronting some of the most violent industries on the planet. They have infinite resources with a single priority: maximum profits. If we are going to stand a chance at defeating fur we need to be united and work together. 

NO ACTION IS TO SMALL 

Some cities have the numbers to have protests flood into the streets and bring traffic to a halt while others wreak havoc without even covering the sidewalk. It does not matter if you have 100 people or 1, when we are working together every single action taken matters. This is a collective effort; if one person is standing outside of a Louis Vuitton in 20 cities around the world, our adversaries are going to take notice. In a global campaign 1 person can make a difference. 

Tactics to bring down the fur industry 

DEMONSTRATIONS

Protests are our bread and butter and these are at the top of our lists for this Valentine’s Day weekend. This coalition has not won 9 campaigns by asking nicely, we have done it with demands backed up by action. CAFT will be in the streets everyday of this action. 

EDUCATION

LVMH and Max Mara are well aware of their crimes against wildlife. While we may not be able to educate them into going for free, we can educate their customers and the public. Public opinion is on our side when it comes to the fur issue and this is the perfect opportunity to get people involved in animal rights. 

Petitions for Wildlife

This is a classic approach to social change that is welcoming to the whole family. CAFT has a petition that you can get people to sign in the streets. 

Leafleting

Simple and to the point – if you need materials you can reach out to the organizing team and we will send you some literature. 

Video Outreach 

The popularity of video outreach in the animal rights movement is at 

an all time high. CAFT encourages organizers to participate in ways they are comfortable so we have a video you can download and play in a loop that can be found here.

PROPAGANDA

Wheat Pasting 

There is a reason corporations pay millions of dollars to advertise their brands on every street corner around the world – it works. Being omnipresent is vital for animal rights to become a real discussion amongst everyday citizens. Shaming the brands still invested in fur is an excellent way to participate in this weekend of action. You can download posters for wheat pasting here. 

Stickers

Activism has never been so easy. Spread awareness with stickers. You can order stickers by messaging us at organize@caftusa.org. 

INNOVATE

Get creative

Have an idea that is not listed above? Go for it. We love seeing what people come up with and encourage you to act up for animals in whatever way empowers you and your community. 

No matter what you do in your city against the fur trade, make sure you document your action with videos, pictures and send them to action@caftusa.org so that we can include them in the action report. 

Liberation is Love

The title “Liberation is Love ” may be a cute play on the Valentines Day holiday but for the folks at CAFT this phrase is much more personal. 

When we step into the streets for animals it may be anger that resonates through our megaphones but it is love that fuels our hatred for industries killing animals. 

The fur industry is one of many industries killing the planet and their demise is only a step towards the end goal of animal liberation. If we are going to be successful we need to act swiftly and appropriately. 

Start planning a action in your city today, 

CAFT Action Team 

(424)-262-3960‬

action@caftusa.org

On Wednesday January 18th Manuel Esteban Paez Teran, better known as Tort, was killed while defending the Weelaunee Forest by an Atlanta police officer. 

Tort and the forest defenders of Atlanta have decided that time is now. 

Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade USA (CAFT USA) is an animal rights organization whose mission is to end the killing of wildlife for fur. To us, abolishing fur is one of many steps to create a world that is based on compassion and respect  for the natural world. We believe that the Defend The Forest (DTF) campaign is also part of this struggle and is an integral aspect of animal liberation. Without a healthy planet – we have nothing. Without a liveable planet it won’t matter if we end the fur trade because the bobcats we fight for will have nothing without a forest to call home.  

Tort gave his life defending the forest – for animal, human and earth liberation. 

Rest in power, Tort. 

CAFT USA condemns the actions of the Atlanta police. We reject the notion that defending the planet – even if done so with tactics that are aggressive – is domestic terrorism. We stand in solidarity with the DTF campaign and the forest defenders carrying on this fight. 

Learn more at DefendTheAtlantaForest.org

Join us in the streets for an action in solidarity with the DTF campaign next Wednesday. 

When: February 1st at 2pm. 

Where: is 731 W. 7th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90017

Welcome Max Mara Group to the campaign to abolish the fur trade! 

Starting today Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade is making Max Mara Group our top campaign target. 

Max Mara has been protested many times by animal rights groups in the past and so far has resisted going fur-free. What does this mean for the campaigners at CAFT? It means we need to up the stakes and pile the pressure on Max Mara like they have never seen before. This means weekly worldwide protests, call ins, online actions – whatever it takes to get the animal abusers at Max Mara to commit to end the killing of wildlife for fur. 

In the spirit of making this round against Max Mara Group the one that convinces them to go fur-free, we will not only be protesting their flagship brand Max Mara, but all of the subsidiaries that fall under the groups umbrella – including the ones that do not sell fur.

Here are the targets: 

● Max Mara 

● Sportmax 

● Weekend at Max Mara 

● Pennyblack 

● Marina Rinaldi 

● Persona – by Marina Rinaldi 

● Marella 

● iBLUES 

● Intrend 

Marina Rinaldi and Sportmax may not sell fur, but they are part of the same corporation and an action against them is every bit as good as one against Max Mara when it comes to applying pressure. 

CAFT USA believes that good intentions are not enough when it comes to defending wildlife. Foxes suffering in cages do not care how hard we tried, they care about getting out of cages – they depend on our success. 

We can beat the fur industry – as long as we work together. Give us a hand by

helping in the following ways: 

● Sign the petition – against Max Mara. 

● Demonstrate – Set up a protest outside your local Max Mara (or LVMH target if you do not have a Max Mara or one of their subsidiaries in your city) On the ground protests are the heart of what has made CAFT successful. 

● Educate – The options are endless, from wheatpasting posters around your city to gathering petitions. Education is a tried and true tactic for social change. Contact CAFT for materials.

● Donate – Challenging the most violent industries on the planet is not cheap, your gift will ensure we can continue this fight for wildlife. 

Have questions on the campaign, or want to volunteer? Reach out and we will point you in the right direction. 

CAFT Action Team 

action@caftusa.org 

(424) 262-3960

11 DAYS OF ACTION

Introduction to the AGM and Paris Action

April 20th, 2023 is the most important date on the calendar for LVMH. On this day, Bernard Arnault and his corporate cronies will present their yearly financial report to shareholders. As a publicly traded company beholden to stock buyers, great efforts will be made to ensure that the event goes smoothly.

This is where the Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade comes in. We will disrupt, demonstrate, organize and agitate, taking our demand of a fur-free policy straight to the CEO’s face.

WHO?

All activists, new or experienced, who want to see an end to the fur industry. That is, whether animal liberation, earth liberation, or human liberation are your main motive, we must all work together to fight the goliath that is LVMH and the fur trade.

WHERE?

Paris, France *

*The primary objective is to gather the largest presence possible at the event itself. That being said, worldwide actions will be held in solidarity, so there will be opportunities to act in congruence for those who cannot be there in person!

**If there isn’t an event in your city, contact us to set one up!

parisaction@caft.org

WHEN?

April 20, 2023 – April 30, 2020

**Dates of Note: 

    April 20th – AGM

    April 22nd – Earth Day

WHAT?

Louis Vuitton-Möet Hennessy’s 2023 Annual General Meeting! The AGM is any publicly traded company’s most lauded day of the year. This is the time when the CEO invites all shareholders to attend, rub shoulders, and shmooze in person. During this time, all things fiscally-related will be mulled over at length. Our cheery crew will be there bright and early to breathe some energy into this incredibly dull event. We plan to make our message direct, clear, and loud enough for Bernard himself to have his ears ringing by the end of the day. However, the party doesn’t stop there! Actions will continue to be held for 10 more days following the AGM.*

*Rough schedule will be posted at a future date.

WHY?

If there is ever a time for global unification, this is it! There are several reasons for this.

1. AUDIENCE.

This event will be a massive gathering of all talking heads, decision makers, investors, and everyday shareholders at LVMH. It is the perfect opportunity to bring the campaign to all with vested interests in protecting the company’s image and, ultimately, their profit margins. This means, as activists, we must rise to the occasion and rouse the masses to bring everyone together.

As the saying goes “we will never back down.” It’s time to put our words into action.

Just over a year into this campaign campaign, and with covid travel restrictions finally waning, now is our chance to show up. LVMH was lucky last year to not have us there. Pressure is building, and their luck has run out.

2. LOCATION.

Paris is LVMH’s home turf. It is pivotal that we bring our message not only to the AGM but to the businesses they own on their stomping grounds.

3. TIMING.

The campaign was announced on January 25th, 2022. This means the 15-month campaign anniversary lies in the dead center of this event. We have alluded since the very beginning to the fact that this is an escalating campaign, and have so far kept our promises not only by sticking to it, but also by growing in numbers and strength. The inclusion of dedicated European groups has been a monumental step in our march toward liberation. This is our chance to not only take it to the next level, but to unite and build upon our ideas and strategize toward abolishing the fur trade for good.

In addition to escalating and applying pressure, this event will be an occasion to build in strength and foster community. As a united front against a single target, we will become an unstoppable force never before seen by the industry.

HOW?

Loud as ever. Let’s bring our trademark activist rambunctiousness and tear down the fur trade, once and for all, together.

… … …

We need every activist in every city to take action against LVMH on the day of the AGM. If you are able to come to Paris, we strongly suggest that you make this trip a priority as soon as possible. If you can make it for only a few days, please prioritize April 20th, as this is the focus of the week of action. 

Do not wait – make sure you have a valid passport, book your flight, and make sure to secure lodging now. Global participation is vital on this critical day. Let us not miss this opportunity to confront LVMH and all its decision makers, investors and shareholders. 

Only if we act together can we expect to achieve the seemingly impossible task of meeting eye-to-eye with the richest and most powerful person in the world. As a collective group we will achieve victories for the animals, and tear down the fur trade forever.

Please reach out to parisaction@caftusa.org with any questions about participating in this global action.