A widespread campaign of intimidation and violence by animal rights extremists against University of California (UC) scientists and researchers has been marked by numerous acts of harassment, vandalism and a series of firebombings and attempted firebombings deliberately targeting individuals.

The July 10, 2009, vandalism of a home and three vehicles belonging to UC Irvine pathologist Michael Selsted is the latest attack relating to the campaign against UC, which began in 2006 and has primarily targeted faculty in response to the use of animal experimentation in UC laboratories. 

Also in 2009, a car belonging to UCLA neuroscientist David Jentsch was blown up outside his home by a homemade explosive.  The Animal Liberation Brigade (ALB), a moniker used by an apparent animal rights extremist cell that has targeted UCLA on several occasions, took credit for the March 7 attack in a communiqué the following day.

In the communiqué, ALB threatened Jentsch with further action so long as his animal research continues: "we will come for you when you least expect it and do a lot more damanage [sic] than to your property. Where ever you go and what ever you do we'll be watching you as long as you continue to do your disgusting experiments on monkeys."

The statement concluded with a message to the FBI, ostensibly in response to recent attempts by California law enforcement agencies to crack down on animal rights extremists' criminal activity. "The more legit activists you [expletive] with the more it inspires us since wer're [sic] the people whom you least suspect and when we hit we hit hard."

Despite some legal efforts taken by the UC system and the state of California, animal rights extremists, who often operate in small and loosely affiliated cells, have continued their activity and most of the attacks remain unsolved.

Radical animal rights and environmental groups have claimed responsibility for hundreds of crimes and acts of terrorism, including arson, bombings, vandalism and harassment during the past two decades, causing more than $175 million in damage.