Campus Alert Archive
LSU

$250,000 in Destroyed Respiratory Research Equipment: The ALF Hits LSU's Inhalation Toxicology Lab

LAotheradvisorymedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

In the early morning hours of September 24, 2003, members of the Animal Liberation Front broke into the Inhalation Toxicology Research facility behind Louisiana State University's College of Veterinary Medicine in Baton Rouge, destroying gas chambers, a cigarette smoking machine, and other research equipment and causing an estimated $250,000 in damage. No animals were present in the lab at the time. The FBI launched a domestic terrorism investigation under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act; research in the laboratory was suspended for approximately a year while repairs were made.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
—
Institution
Louisiana State University
Public R1 · LA
~34,000 studentsLSU Emergency Notification System
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTUnknown
Approximate reconstruction366 chars
LSU Police are investigating a break-in at the Inhalation Toxicology Research facility located behind the College of Veterinary Medicine. The facility was vandalized overnight with extensive damage to research equipment. No animals were in the laboratory at the time. The building is secured. The FBI has been contacted. There is no ongoing threat to the LSU campus.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

The AVMA's JAVMA News (November 1, 2003) reported that the incident occurred in the early morning hours of September 24, 2003, at an inhalation toxicology research laboratory behind LSU's College of Veterinary Medicine -- confirmed as the primary institutional communication about the incident
The absence of animals in the laboratory at the time of the break-in was noted in all published accounts, indicating the ALF targeted the equipment and research infrastructure rather than specific animals
FOLLOW-UPUnknown
Approximate reconstruction711 chars
LSU University Relations Statement: Louisiana State University strongly condemns the criminal vandalism of the Inhalation Toxicology Research facility on September 24. The university is cooperating fully with the Baton Rouge Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which is investigating the incident under the federal Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. The affected laboratory -- used for cardiovascular and respiratory research on environmental toxins -- sustained an estimated $250,000 in damage. Research operations have been suspended during repairs. The university remains committed to conducting important biomedical research in compliance with all applicable laws and ethical standards.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

AVMA JAVMA News reported that three whole-body gas chambers, a cigarette smoking machine, and other equipment used in cardiovascular and respiratory research on environmental toxins were all destroyed -- making this a targeted attack on the research program rather than generic vandalism
The FBI's domestic terrorism investigation under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act reflects the federal government's designation of ALF as a domestic terrorist organization in the early 2000s
Context

Background

The LSU Inhalation Toxicology Research facility, located behind the College of Veterinary Medicine in Baton Rouge, was used by veterinary faculty and staff to conduct cardiovascular and respiratory research on environmental toxins -- work that included studying the effects of cigarette smoke and other inhaled substances on animal physiology. In the early morning hours of September 24, 2003, members of the Animal Liberation Front entered the facility and systematically destroyed three whole-body gas chambers, a cigarette smoking machine, and other specialized research equipment while spray-painting slogans on walls and cabinets -- causing an estimated $250,000 in damage. No animals were present in the lab at the time. The FBI opened a domestic terrorism investigation under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, and research in the laboratory was suspended for approximately a year while extensive repairs were made. This was not an isolated incident at LSU: the ALF returned in April 2005, breaking into a Life Sciences facility and causing additional damage, and stealing 10 mice -- demonstrating that the 2003 operation's spray-painted warning 'We Will Be Back' was not an idle threat. The LSU Reveille reported extensively on the FBI's designation of ALF as a domestic terrorist organization in the aftermath of these attacks.
Analysis

Key Findings

The Inhalation Toxicology Research facility sustained approximately $250,000 in damage -- a precise target on a specific research program studying environmental toxin effects, not random campus vandalism
Research operations were suspended for approximately one year while repairs were made, representing a significant disruption to the research careers of faculty, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers
No animals were in the laboratory at the time of the break-in, suggesting the ALF had advance knowledge of the facility's occupancy or deliberately chose an unoccupied facility to avoid animal welfare complications during the raid
The ALF returned to LSU in April 2005 -- fulfilling the spray-painted threat 'We Will Be Back' that was left in 2003 -- demonstrating the persistence of targeted campaigns against specific research institutions
Both 2003 and 2005 LSU incidents were cited in 2005 US Senate hearings on eco-terrorism as examples of ALF's escalating attacks on academic research institutions
Outcome
Estimated $250,000 in property damage. Research suspended for approximately one year while repairs were made. FBI opened a domestic terrorism investigation. No arrests were publicly reported in connection with this incident.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    LSU laboratory vandalized; animal extremist group claims responsibility -- AVMA JAVMA News
    avma.org
  2. Student Paper
    Animal Liberation Front named terrorist group -- LSU Reveille
    lsureveille.com
  3. Report
    Eco-Terrorism: Oversight on ALF/ELF -- US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works hearings
    epw.senate.gov
  4. Source
    Animal Liberation Front Liberates 21 Mice from Louisiana State University -- NAALPO (2005 follow-up)
    animalliberationpressoffice.org
Tags
animal-liberation-frontALFveterinary-schooldomestic-terrorismFBIinhalation-toxicologyresearch-lablab-break-inlouisianaBaton-Rouge2003
Added June 2026Updated June 2026Via ingestion