Bedford Animal Action Stall - Saturday 6th March

This Saturday campaigners from Bedford Animal Action held an information stall in Stevenage Town Centre.  The stall contained a selection of literature on various animal rights issues and petitions for supporters to sign.  The town centre was very busy in the early spring sunshine and the stall got a good response from passing members of the public, many of whom were particularly interested in leaflets featuring vegetarian and vegan recipes.  It is hoped that we will be back in Stevenage again in the near future as well as Bedford and possibly other locations.  If you would like to help out at an information stall in the future please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Posted in Events, Reports |

AstraZeneca Demo Report

LIGHTING STRIKES TWICE FOR ASTRAZENECA IN LUTON

On the 28th of October, Bedford Animal Action activists held a passionate and peaceful demo at AstraZeneca’s Luton offices. It was a warm autumn day and it must have been most uncomfortable for the 300+ staff in the offices to have to close the blinds so they wouldn’t have to be reminded of the cruel and unnecessary business they support and promote.

The police arrived soon after us and shortly after their arrival decided that we had to leave the protest. However, we stood up for our human rights and were promptly arrested and held for up to 17 hours without food.

After a four month wait and a two day trial, the prosecution dropped the case. After the case was dropped, we went straight back to AstraZeneca for a victory demo and to continue what we were doing before we were so rudely interrupted. The weather was chillier than the day we were arrested and there was heavy snow, but that did not deter us from making our presence felt with megaphones just freshly released from custody.

AstraZeneca it’s about time you stopped your blood money dealing with HLS and led the way with an ethical policy, then we could leave you alone. With support growing within parliament for an independent inquiry into the efficacy of animal testing (which has NEVER been done before), and with a phenomenal 243 signatories in support for EDM 569 making it the joint 10th most signed of all 2,421 EDM’s in the last parliamentary session - companies such as yourselves need to take heed, move forward and show that you care.

Not only for the innocent animals, but also for the 20,000 human deaths every year in the UK alone due to adverse drug reactions. Need we remind you that HLS also use and kill animals to test household products? Is this really what you believe in?

AstraZeneca, so far you have shown us that you don’t care for freedom of speech. Unfortunately for you, it is our human right to protest at your offices and we will keep coming back time and time again until you stop assisting in the torture of animals in HLS and show us that you care for humans and animals alike.

We will be back at the offices soon, see you then.

WE NEVER GIVE IN AND WE ALWAYS WIN!!

If you would like to join us for future demos against AstraZeneca please get in touch by emailing us: info@bedfordanimalaction.org

Posted in Demos, Events, Reports |

Victory for Luton 4

On the 28th of October last year 4 animal rights activists were arrested for breach of section 14 of the public order act during a protest at AstraZeneca offices in Luton for their use of the notorious animal testing lab Huntingdon Life Sciences.

The arrest was a blatant breach of human rights and an attack on freedom of speech.  After a two day trial the prosecution dropped the case.  After the case was dropped we went straight back to AstraZeneca to let them know the outcome of the trial and to continue what we were doing before we were so rudely interrupted that warm October afternoon.

We will be back at the offices soon, see you then.

If you would like to join us for future demos against AstraZeneca please get in touch by emailing info@bedfordanimalaction.org

Posted in Demos, Events, News, Reports |

AstraZeneca Demo Report - Wednesday 23rd September

Campaigners once again returned to AstraZeneca’s offices in Luton. As soon as we arrived we were greeted with the usual sight of blinds being hastily pulled down. We were also greeted by an audible announcement, which appeared to come from the office block opposite AstraZeneca, warning their staff that animal rights campaigners had arrived.

We began our protest using placards and megaphones to let staff and those in nearby offices know exactly what AstraZeneca are involved in. Shortly after our arrival the police also turned up and immediately issued us with a Section 14 warning telling us that we had only 20 minutes to demonstrate. We questioned the legality of this and attempted to at least negotiate a more reasonable time frame. After some debate the police officer said she would talk to her sergeant and see what she could do. Unfortunately she only came back to us 20 minutes later to inform us that we had to leave. She then proceeded in an attempt to retrospectively serve this Section 14 on the remaining protestors after it was pointed out to her that she had only spoken to one campaigner originally. Strangely she appeared to be reading the Section 14 from a laminated card which a Community Support Officer had previously fetched for her from inside AstraZeneca’s offices!

At this stage we decided to leave for a break with a plan to return later and continue our protest. Predictably on our return more police officers soon arrived, however the officer in charge this time was somewhat more reasonable. Although he issued a Section 14 almost as soon as he arrived he did allow us an hour to demonstrate before we had to leave. He tried to tell us that we could not use megaphones at all, however we questioned this and were able to use them in the end. Once again this officer was reading the Section 14 notice from a card that one of the accompanying PCSO’s had retrieved from AstraZeneca.

We continued to demonstrate at times noisily, but peacefully, as workers began to leave for home. One or two of these were decidedly rude in their hand gestures towards us; obviously they did not appreciating being reminded of what their company was involved in. One worker even tried to film us on his mobile whilst driving out of the car park;strangely none of the police officers present seemed to notice this.

Despite continued attempts by the police to suppress our right to protest here, we felt that the demo had been effective in reminding AstraZeneca of the cruelty they continue to support through their involvement with HLS. We left at around 5pm vowing to return in the very near future.

Posted in Demos, Events, Reports |

Operation Liberation

NATIONAL DEMO AT HIGHGATE RABBIT FARM, LINCOLNSHIRE

SATURDAY 26TH SEPTEMBER 2009 - 12 NOON TO 5PM

Highgate Rabbit Farm breed rabbits and ferrets for the vivisection industry.  They supply animals to various laboratories including Huntingdon Life Sciences.

The demonstration will be stationary outside Highgate Farm, Highgate Lane, Normanby-by-Spital, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, LN8 2HQ.  Hot food and drinks will be provided by Veggies.  The demonstration has been fully organised with the co-operation of Lincolnshire Police.

For more details visit the Operation Liberation website.

If you need a lift, or can offer a lift, to the demo please get in touch and we will try and match people up.  If you are unable to make this demo but would be interested in attending a more local demo please also get in touch.  It may be possible to arrange a demo at beagle breeders Harlan Interfauna in Cambridgeshire if enough people are interested.

Posted in Action Alerts, Demos, Events |

NIRAH Saga Continues

JUDGE TO RULE IN ARGUEMENT OVER LAND DEAL

NIRAH were at the High Court last week in an attempt to save their deal with Hanson to buy the land needed for the project.  If they are unsuccessful their option to buy expires at the end of the year.  A decision is expected later this week.  Read the full story in last week’s Bedfordshire on Sunday here

Posted in News |

NIRAH - No News is Good News…

A report in last week’s Bedfordshire Times and Citizen claimed that council bosses felt ‘left in the dark’ and were ‘deeply concerned’ over the lack of news regarding the NIRAH project.  They have apparently had little or no information on the project over the past 12 months.  The concerns appear to have come to a head after Frank Branston, Mayor of Bedford, fell ill and was rushed to hospital a few weeks ago.  Frank Brasnton championed the project and helped to bring it to Bedford.  He was said to be in a serious condition when this article appeared and died the following day.  NIRAH made no comment in the article except to say that they were currently involved in a legal dispute with the owners of Quest Pit where the project is to be based.

The full article can be read here

Posted in News |

AstraZeneca Demo Reports - 27th July and 12th August 2009

DEMOS CONTINUE AGAINST ASTRAZENECA DESPITE OPPRESSIVE POLICE TACTICS

The last few weeks have seen protesters return twice to AstraZeneca’s offices in Luton to speak out against their continued involvement with the notorious animal testing firm Huntingdon Life Sciences.  Police tactics on these demos are becoming increasingly oppressive, however this has not put off the determined campaigners who will continue to return to AstraZeneca to let them and others know the exact nature of what they are involved in.  Full reports and photos can be found here

Posted in Demos, Events, Reports |

Dow Demo Report - Tuesday 7th July

There is nowhere to hide, DOW.

On Tuesday 7th July activists went to Dow Agro Science’s offices in sleepy market town Hitchin.  Dow is a customer of the notorious Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS).

It was briefly sunny when we arrived but most of the demo was done under a thunderstorm in the hacking rain.  Dow obviously think they can hide away in a small commuter town but we were there to inform the people of Hitchin just what an evil company Dow are. The offices are almost in the town center so we easily attracted attention with a megaphone. Many passers by took leaflets and an activist went further into the town to leaflet shoppers there.

Almost as soon as we arrived a worker emerged to take photos of us.  It took police constables 20 minutes to arrive and they tried to persuade us to demonstrate across the road but we refused the invitation and waited for a higher ranking officer to arrive. When he did arrive he confirmed we could stay where we were and did ask for names and addresses but as we had not done anything wrong we refused. He informed us we were being monitored on cctv and then went inside for a lengthy conversation in the office.

We were able to engage the people of Hitchin in conversation about Dow and HLS and had beeps of support and got signatures on the ‘Close HLS’ petition.

Posted in Demos, Events, Reports |

AstraZeneca Demo - Video Footage

There is a video clip now available from the AstraZeneca demo in May 2009.  The clip can be viewed on YouTube

Posted in Demos, Events, Reports |