RF Towers Toppled in Washington

EVERETT, WASH.: Two radio towers near Seattle were felled Friday afternoon by radical environmentalists, several reports indicate. Both towers belonged to KRKO-AM, a Bonneville station. Radio World said both were relatively new and “part of a plan to expand the station’s signal.” The towers were 149 and 439 feet tall.

Individuals associated with the Earth Liberation Front was thought to be responsible. ELF is mostly an underground organization considered by the FBI to be responsible for several acts of eco-terrorism. A hand-painted sign stating “whassup? sno cty? ELF...” was left at the scene.



(The image above shows a back-hoe possibly used to bring down the structure in which it's entangled. The image at right shows the two KRKO-AM towers before they were destroyed.)

ELF members communicate through the North American ELF Press Office, which issued this statement:
“Two radio station towers were torn down early Friday by the Earth Liberation Front in the Lord’s Hills valley in Snohomish County, Wash. The towers, owned by station KRKO, have been a source of controversy for years. A sign left at the scene claimed responsibility by the ELF.

“For the past eight years, opponents have waged a legal battle against the towers, arguing that AM radio waves cause adverse health affects including a higher rate of cancer, harm to wildlife, and that the signals have been interfering with home phone and intercom lines.”

Bonneville is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individuals responsible.