Your phone rings. You don’t recognize the number, but you answer it anyway. You find yourself on the receiving end of a barrage of questions from the only kind of caller worse than a telemarketer – an animal rights activist. The caller says they’ll be there soon to make their demands in person, and you look up from your desk to see dozens of people roaming your office halls waving signs and chanting about animal liberation.

I write about farm and plant security frequently in this blog, but I don’t know that I’ve ever addressed office security. I was reminded of its importance just a few days ago when I was treated to a 3-minute voicemail from an activist who is very disappointed in me for the work I do to help farmers and ranchers protect themselves. In addition to the emails and phone calls we receive relatively frequently harassing us or fishing for information, we’ve even had people (presumably activists) show up here at the Alliance office saying they had meetings scheduled with us when they really didn’t.

Activists are increasingly targeting the offices of industry organizations and companies.
They have been known to call or show up announced and try to “confront” certain staff members or get employees to comment on situations. All front office staff should be aware of the potential for activist activity and know how to handle unexpected visitors or phone calls.

It’s important to first anticipate when your company may be targeted. If your organization or company has been featured in the news recently (especially for something involving animal welfare), that may make you an activist target. An increase in calls or emails requesting information, an increase in harassing or critical comments on social media, or unusual interest in employment, can also be an indicator.

All offices should have visitor procedures in place. Keep an eye out for red flags – people dressed very casually, people carrying a phone or camera, people arriving as a group, etc.

All visitors should have to use a secured entrance and be required to check in at your front desk. No one should be able to go from the lobby into the building without having a verified appointment with a staff member.

Activists may be insistent that they need to meet with someone or get a response from someone on staff (even a receptionist). Do not get drawn into back-and-forth discussions – simply reiterate that unless they have a scheduled appointment, they need to leave. If they refuse to leave, contact law enforcement.

You should also be wary of suspicious phone calls - do they ask for a specific contact or just say they need to talk to “someone”? Do they pronounce names incorrectly? Is the name they give different from what is showing up on your caller ID? Do they refer to a specific issue?

Do not give out any information over the phone without verifying the identity of the caller. Remember to use your phone’s caller ID to try to identify if a caller is legitimate. If it indicates “anonymous” or “blocked,” that’s your first red flag to be very cautious in how you respond. Search unknown numbers online before answering and consider letting them go to voicemail if they seem suspicious.

These suggestions may seem basic, but they are a good start to ensuring your office is secure and preventing activist disruptions. Contact the Alliance anytime for more detailed advice and recommendations.

Office security – are you prepared for a protest?

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