Guerneville fur fight gains momentum

THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Monday, December 27, 2004

Matt Tupper showed up about halfway through Sunday's animal rights protest in Guerneville, wearing a blue vintage Playboy bunny outfit and carrying a sign that said, "Hate stops here."

It was a plea to end a dispute between the Sonoma People for Animal Rights and two Guerneville merchants selling fur that is stretching into its third week.

About a dozen animal rights activists, a dozen other people sympathetic to the store owners and others talked and carried signs in a Sunday afternoon downpour.

Store owners Jennifer Neeley and Mikki Herman said they have received personal threats since the dispute started. Activists with Sonoma People for Animal Rights said counterprotesters had threatened to torch their homes.

Both sides denied threatening each other and there are no signs that the dispute will end soon.

Three sheriff's deputies circulated among the picketers and a private security guard with a dog kept watch.

"We're explaining the law to them and asking them ... to be respectful of each other," said Sgt. Dave Anderson of the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department.

Animal rights activists formed a small line along Main Street, carrying signs with pictures of cuddly-looking baby raccoons and skinned carcasses.

"I was really impressed at the number of people who came out in this weather," protest organizer Alex Bury said. "A lot of cars driving by saw our signs and that was important to me."

Counterprotesters said they were fighting for the right of shopkeepers and consumers to choose what they sell, buy and wear.

Michael Kinney, a Guerneville resident, passed along the line of activists wearing a mink stole.

"I'm here to protest the protesters that have nothing better to do than harass small businesses," Kinney said.

"We are absolutely committed to civil and peaceful means," said Stefan Howard, one of the protest organizers. "We are absolutely not into anything violent or any kind of destruction."

Howard said the animal rights group was waiting to hear if the Russian River Chamber of Commerce would mediate the dispute.

But Ernie Carpenter, the chamber's acting executive director, said Sunday night that no one has asked the chamber to mediate the dispute.

"I don't know if we want to get involved or not," Carpenter said. "But if they want mediation, we can find someone to do it. But somebody has to step forward and say what they want to mediate."

The protest had been planned in front of Neeley's store, Memories that Linger, because Neeley had been selling rabbit fur scarves.

But Neeley had a friend park a large truck in front of her store with the engine running, so protesters and counterprotesters were forced to stand in exhaust fumes in front of a hair salon.

Neeley said she was disgusted with the protest and would hold a venison outdoor barbecue if they came again next Sunday.

"I've sold all my furs. I'm furless," she said.

Down the street, the display window of Herman's Kings & Queens Vintage Clothing was dominated by three mannikins wearing faux fur coats.

Herman had prepared a buffet for the public with elk meat and turkey sausages. The elk was donated by fellow merchant Steve Young of King's Sport and Tackle, Herman said.

Herman said sales had picked up markedly since news articles of the protests appeared.

"It's unbelievable," Herman said. "People call me from all over the county and show up to shop at my store and in the rest of Guerneville."