In the first suit of its kind, a Philadelphia furrier has filed a civil racketeering suit against three anti-fur organizations and four individuals that says their protests have crossed the line into extortion, harassment, terroristic threats, trespassing and vandalism.

The head of one anti-fur group said yesterday that he has anticipated the filing of such a suit ever since the U.S. Supreme Court approved the use of civil RICO against abortion protesters who blockade clinics.