for people in Bedfordshire who are concerned about animal abuse
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
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
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
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.
There is a video clip now available from the AstraZeneca demo in May 2009. The clip can be viewed on YouTube
SHACTIVISTS RETURN TO ASTRAZENECA’S LUTON OFFICES
On Wednesday 17th June 09 Shactivists decided to pay AstraZeneca’s Luton offices a visit. Upon arriving in skull masks it was obvious they weren’t expecting us as there was no police welcoming party like there has been previously.
Blinds were quickly dropped as it became apparent to the workers inside that a demonstration was taking place. Three megaphones were used to make it clear why we were there. They are a customer of disgraceful Huntingdon Life Sciences…
Full report and more photos here.
This Saturday a few members of BAA decided to join a SPEAK demo, and set up a information stall against Oxford University’s new animal lab.
One member had just got in to Oxford when she saw three young girls staring at something and saying “but I don’t want it to die”. However this didn’t stop them from walking away.
When she went to have a look at what they were staring at she found a poor little baby pigeon. He was too young to be out of his nest, wounded, thin and had a swollen limp leg. She picked him up and took him to the demo where a fellow campaigner kindly offered to take the injured fledgling to St Tiggy Winkles for professional care.
(Please don’t pick up baby birds unless they are obviously injured, or you have sought the advice of a sympathetic vet/animal rescue centre - baby birds are sometimes simply waiting on the floor for mum to feed them)
Pigeon rescue completed, we joined the demo. Around 30 people gathered to try and tell the graduating students about the hidden horrors of vivisection at Oxford University. As people passed by they took leaflets, and this also included a man dressed as a turkey with his hands cuffed behind his back. We have no idea why!!
Meanwhile, at the top end of the demonstration, some supporters were holding an information stall where petitions were being signed and information exchanged.
To finish the day off, the police decided to do the official job of the university injunction servers and serve a new demonstrator a copy of the injunction themselves. They say they aren’t taking sides!! So what are the injunction servers being paid to do exactly?
For the animals
BAA
The NIRAH project looks set to suffer a further setback. It appears it may lose the land on which it was to be built at Quest Pit near Stewartby. Hanson agreed to sell NIRAH the land provided it did not affect any of their other operations in the area. The option to buy the land runs out at the end of this year and Hanson claim that, as NIRAH have failed to identify access to the site, they cannot ensure that the project would not have a detrimental impact. NIRAH have responded by issuing a writ asking the High Courts to order Hanson to complete the deal. Chairman of NIRAH, Keith Edelman, is quoted as saying ‘If we lose that land Nirah is dead’.
The full story can be read at http://www.bedsonsunday.com/bedsonsunday/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=425246
Council Directive 86/609/EEC on the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes, is the European legislation that regulates animal experiments. It is more than 20 years old and urgently in need of updating in order to better protect animals in laboratories and to achieve the ultimate replacement of animals with more advanced, humane alternatives. A revised law has now been proposed.
The Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research, together with Four Paws & Humane Society International, have launched a Europe-wide cyber march to demonstrate public support for improvements to Europe’s law on animal experiments.
To join the cyber march or to find out more information on the campaign visit www.makeanimaltestinghistory.org
DOUBLE WHAMMY FOR ASTRAZENECA LUTON OFFICES
It was a wet dreary lunchtime in Luton when activists met. We were under police surveillance from the start, which was surprising as we hadn’t advertised this demo at all. Some how they knew we were intending to go to AstraZeneca’s media offices on Capablilty Green Business Park, Luton…
Full report and more photos here.