Priorities in animal charities

Four animal rights activists have been convicted of orchestrating a ‘hate’ campaign against firms that supplied an animal testing research centre. I think hate is a bit of a strong word. Yes they had hatred in their hearts, but not in the same way as racists or xenophobes, because their hatred was a bi-product of compassion. As far as they are concerned (wrongly), these animals are as sentient as human beings, so what goes on in vivisectionist labs to them is akin to the concentration camps of Nazi Germany. To put it in that context, would we consider it a hate crime if people used ‘paedophile smears, criminal damage and bomb hoaxes’ to intimidate concentration camp guards? However I do wish they could see the futility of fighting for animals. They are cute. It stops there. Why aren’t they using those same tactics against the embassies of countries like Sudan and China who commit far worse crimes against human beings? This is exemplary of one of Britain’s worst characteristics: our preoccupation with animal causes over more deserving human charities.