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Dezeen Wire: Thai shoe brand Rayfish says animal rights activists have broken into its stingray breeding facility, two months after its claims to have developed bio-engineered stingray skin for making customised trainers were met with outrage and and scepticism (+ movie).

The first movie shows a video statement from the company’s CEO Raymond Ong, in which he asks consumers to question the provenance of their belongings, while the second was apparently posted on Youtube by the activists.

Rayfish announced in June that it had pioneered a process of “bio-customisation” that allowed customers to design patterns to be grown on genetically modified stingrays – read reactions to the claims in our earlier story.

Here’s the release from Rayfish:

Animal Rights Activists Break into Rayfish Footwear Headquarters, Steal Dozens of Stingrays

CEO Raymond Ong promises that company will return “stronger than ever” after setback

This Sunday, August 12, activists broke into the headquarters of Rayfish Footwear, destroying lab equipment and sneakers, and stealing numerous living stingrays. A video on YouTube depicts masked activists removing stingrays from the Rayfish aquaculture facility and releasing the animals into the nearby ocean.

In a video statement, CEO Raymond Ong expressed deep regret over the loss: “Not only is this crime a terrible setback for my company and employees, it is also a personal tragedy.” Ong acknowledged the conflicted public response to Rayfish’s bio-customization technique, but emphasized the company’s commitment to excellent working conditions for its staff and to the humane treatment of its stingrays. “Rest assured that I fully understand that radical technological advances often make us uneasy,” Ong said, adding, “We need to get over our unwillingness to change. We need to learn love the future again.” Ong also noted his concern that the genetically modified stingrays may interbreed with wild populations.

Rayfish Footwear is currently working with local authorities to identify the culprits. A reward of 40,000 THB has been offered to area fishermen for the return of any of the released rays. Despite the damage, Rayfish officials anticipate that the October date for commercial production should be pushed back by no more than two months. The company is suspending its Grow Your Sneaker design contest until further notice, although the online contest page will remain open for entries.

The post “Genetically modified stingrays may interbreed
with wild population” says Rayfish shoe brand appeared first on Dezeen.