Lab debate take to the streets
Students, staff and members of the public demonstrates in Oxford in support of the new lab
Hundreds of students took to the streets on Saturday in support of the building of the University’s animal lab. The march, organised by the group Pro-Test, saw 600 demonstrators assemble on Parks Road at 11.45, before marching through the city. In a symbolic move, Oxford University for the first time sent a representative to show its official support for the movement and animal testing. Government ministers, scientists and students also spoke in favour of the lab, currently under construction.
Students gathered close to the construction site shouting the Pro- Test slogan, ‘Save the Oxford Animal Lab’. They carried placards displaying slogans including “Human beings come first, build the Oxford lab” and “cure cancer, test on animals”. The demonstrators marched along Catte Street, the High Street and Longwall Street before making their way to the construction site on South Parks Road.
Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Alan Duncan MP, and Liberal Democrat MP for Oxford West and Abingdon Dr Evan Harris spoke out in favour of animal testing, praising the students’ initiative. Health Minister Andrew Burnham issued a statement in support of animal research and testing, which was read out to the crowd of protestors. Duncan later commented on the development of the movement: “Support for animal testing needs to be more than just as a response to extremism.
We need to win the hearts and minds of the public, to keep it going when extremism ends.” “The government needs to do better. More prominent ministers should be coming out in support of animal testing.” Around 20-30 police were present at the march. There have been no reports of any incidents. Dr Ken Fleming, Head of Oxford’s Medical Sciences division and a member of University Council, spoke on behalf of the University.
Addressing the crowd, he encouraged scientists to speak out in favour of animal testing. “The protest will have a huge impact. It is a clear demonstration by the majority that people recognise the necessity of research on animals,” Fleming said. One of the organisers of the march, Pembroke student Tom Holder, said, “It is extremely significant for the Pro-Test cause to have the University come out of its silence.
Chief Executive of the Medical Research Council Colin Blakemore said, “The march heralds one of the most remarkable changes in public opinion. The revulsion of the actions of extremists has driven the government to act and has affected the attitudes of the University.” Laurie Pycroft, the 16 year-old founder and figurehead of Pro- Test, celebrated the success of the march. He said, “It is fantastic to see so many people out in support of animal research.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Saturday’s march did not attract as many protestors or as much media attention as Pro-Test’s first event, held in Oxford in February when the world’s media descended on the city. The Pro-Test march passed without the restrictions placed on protesters by the new Oxford University injunction.
The injunction, passed on 26 May, only applies to named groups which have been accused of harassing students, staff, and others associated with the University, such as Speak and the ALF.
Speak marches in Moreton
Speak target lab workers’ secret hideout
Animal rights protesters held a defiant demonstration outside the facility housing construction workers of the South Parks Road animal lab last Saturday, writes Ed Hancox. The protest was organised by pressure group Speak to coincide with the Pro-Test demonstration in Oxford. The location of the march was kept secret until last Wednesday, when Speak released details of the Fire Service College at Moreton-in- Marsh, Gloucestershire.
Activists gathered at Moreton-in- Marsh train station, where Speak spokesman Mel Broughton and supporter Andrew Kirk gave speeches condemning vivisection and the actions of the lab construction workers. The protesters later moved on to the College itself, where they were prevented from demonstrating directly outside by the new Oxford University injunction, granted on 26 May. The injunction forbids protest within 50 yards of the Fire Service College.
A designated area was set up for activists, in which they used megaphones to protest against the College’s housing of the workers. Kirk described human deaths supposedly caused by animal testing as “a holocaust”. Speak estimate that around 200 supporters attended, although official estimates place the numbers closer to 120. A spokesperson from Gloucestershire Police said, “The protest passed off very peacefully, with no arrests and no breaches of the peace.
The police force as yet have no intelligence to suggest that a repeat demonstration is planned. Broughton told The Oxford Student, “We’ll spread the net to catch anyone involved with the building, and we’ll push them as far away from this place as we can. This is going to go on and on.” A spokesman from the Fire Service College said, “There was a minor disruption on Saturday, with about 120 protesters outside the main gates. As far as we’re concerned it’s business as usual.”
8th Jun 2006