A communique sent by the E.L.F. stated, "This action served as a protest to Old Navy's owners, the Fisher family's involvement in the clearcutting of old growth forest in the Northwest. These actions will continue until the Fisher family pulls economic support from the lumber industry, regardless of whether with the Pacific Lumber Company or otherwise."

The Fisher family, which owns the Gap, Banana Republic, and Old Navy, recently purchased 235,000 acres of Mendicino County redwood forest in northern California. The Fisher's logging company, Mendicino Redwood Company, plans to clearcut large sections of land within this purchase. The company is also spraying Garlon, an herbicide related to Agent Orange, to eliminate ground vegetation. Garlon induces vomiting and weakness in humans and is known to severely disorient juvenile Coho salmon.

The E.L.F. is an international underground organization that uses direct action in the form of economic sabotage to stop the exploitation and destruction of the natural environment.

The communique continued, "Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic care not for the species that call these forests home, care not for the animals that comprise their leather products, and care not for their garment workers underpaid, exploited and enslaved in overseas sweatshops."

Since 1997, in the United States alone, the E.L.F. has caused near $40 million in damages to entities profiting off the destruction of the natural environment.

The communique finished by stating, "As more and more minds continue to be exposed to the true nature of their greed, fewer and fewer will sit idly by, and the cries of the earth will not fall upon deaf ears. We will not stop. Love, The Elves."

For more information contact:

Craig Rosebraugh/Spokesperson
North American Earth Liberation Front Press Office
(503) 478.0902
elfpress@tao.ca