Pro-war counter-protester carries a sign that reads, 'Get a BRAIN! MORANS'. On 23 March 2003, about 350 pro-peace activists took part in a solemn funeral procession to the Boeing missile factory in St. Charles, MO. A hostile crowd of roughly 75, flag waving, pro-war protesters showered the silent peace protesters with insults and violent threats, but they were held back by the police. St. Louis Indymedia Center / shii.org

BY ROSSLYN BEEBY, SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENT REPORTER
04 June 2011 Australia’s leading climate change scientists are being targeted by a vicious, unrelenting email campaign that has resulted in police investigations of death threats. The Australian National University has confirmed it moved several high-profile climate scientists, economists and policy researchers into more secure buildings, following explicit threats to their personal safety. Scientists at universities in NSW and Queensland have told of being moved to high security buildings, where their names do not appear on staff directory lists or on their office door. ”If you want to find me, it’s impossible unless you make an appointment, sign in with some form of photo identification, and are personally escorted to my door,” one scientist said. ”That’s directly as a result of threats made against me.” More than 30 researchers across Australia ranging from ecologists and environmental policy experts to meteorologists and atmospheric physicists told The Canberra Times they are receiving a stream of abusive emails threatening violence, sexual assault, public smear campaigns and attacks on family members. … Australia’s new chief scientist, former ANU vice-chancellor Professor Ian Chubb has condemned these email threats as ”an outrageous attack” on open and public debate. ”These hurtful attacks are intended to intimidate scientists, to scare them off and stop them from participating in public discussions on climate change. They are the antithesis of democratic debate,” Professor Chubb said. … Australian Greens deputy leader Christine Milne said the emails were ”an orchestrated, extremist anti-science campaign attempting to threaten and intimidate people into silence.” …

Climate of fear: scientists face death threats via Deltoid