Interview Alludes to Tyson Threat

Jerry Vlasak seemed to be referring to Tyson Foods Inc. of Springdale when he told Ed Bradley on CBS’ “60 Minutes” that violence might be necessary to stop people from slaughtering chickens.

When asked who he thinks is fair game, Vlasak told Bradley, “Animal researchers, slaughterhouse workers, the head of the corporation that slaughters hundreds of millions of chickens every single year for the taste of their flesh.”

The segment initially aired in November was replayed in June on CBS affiliates, including KFSM, Channel 5, in Fort Smith and Fayetteville.

We called Vlasak, a surgeon who is the press officer at the North American Animal Liberation Press Office in Los Angeles. He said he couldn’t remember the name of the CEO at Tyson Foods, but “if it took force to change them, I’d say that was morally acceptable.”

Richard Bond recently took over as CEO of Tyson Foods from John Tyson, grandson of the company’s founder.

The North American Animal Liberation Press Office is affiliated with the Animal Liberation Front, which spawned the Earth Liberation Front. Both groups are considered eco-terrorists.

We asked Tyson Foods if the company ever had problems with either organization, but the Tyson spokesman didn’t respond to that question in the e-mail we sent him.