LOS ANGELES , California -- On Earth Day on Wednesday , Dr. David Jentsch marched at the head of a column of UCLA students and faculty members to the chant of , `` Stand up for science ! '' Across the street a smaller but equally vocal group of animal rights advocates chanted , `` U-C-L-A , how many animals have you killed today ! '' Animal rights activists say large numbers of animals are killed each year during medical trials . Until recently , Jentsch had never dreamed he would lead a political demonstration . But Jentsch 's life took a sharp turn last month when his car was firebombed in his driveway . A radical group of animal rights activists claimed responsibility for the act . `` This is terror , '' Jentsch said . `` There is no two ways about it . It 's extremism . It 's an attempt to intimidate . '' It was the latest in a string of arson attacks against UCLA researchers who use animals in medical research projects . Since 2006 , there have been seven attacks aimed at researcher 's homes or cars . No arrests have been made in the cases , which are being investigated by an FBI lead task force on terrorism . `` We believe it 's just a matter of time before someone is going to be hurt , '' said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Salvador Hernandez . `` The intent of these groups is to intimidate and coerce . '' Hernandez heads up the task force investigating the series of attacks and says their actions qualify as terrorist attacks . But animal rights advocate Chris DeRose says nothing could be further from the truth . `` There has never been one human being in this country being killed or even hurt , '' he said . He believes the university researchers are the bad guys . `` What I do condemn is what goes on behind those walls , '' he says . DeRose , founder of Last Chance for Animals , says he does n't condone firebombing researchers ' homes , but he does n't condemn it either . Watch people against animal research at protest » . `` The reason these people are doing it is because they have been pushed ... nobody is listening ... over a hundred million animals a year are killed in universities and major hospitals in this country , '' he said . Jentsch argues that same medical research using lab animals has lead to many medical breakthroughs that benefit mankind . UCLA points to research advances in breast cancer treatments , Parkinson 's disease and artificial heart technology that relied on experiments involving lab animals at their California facilities . Jentsch 's own research involves studies aimed at treating drug addiction in humans . He studies the brains of monkeys that have been injected with methamphetamine . He says his experiments are peer-reviewed and adhere strictly to established rules for the treatment of lab animals . Watch supporters of animal research at protest » . Jentsch says that he hopes that this week 's dueling demonstrations can lead to a dialogue . He believes many of the protestors voicing opposition to the UCLA labs do not endorse the string of violent acts aimed against him and other researchers , `` but it is essential for them to repudiate this type of activity . '' In the meantime , Jentsch says he refuses to be intimidated . `` I 'm going to continue to live where I live , continue to educate people about my work , '' he said . `` I 'm not going to stop . ''
Dr David Jentsch joins protest after his home was attacked last month . Activists oppose use of animals as subjects for medical research . Since 2006 , there have been no attacks aimed at researcher 's homes or cars . Source : ` ` This is terror . There is no two ways about it . It 's extremism ''