Re. SPEAC Demo

October 9, 2003

Check this article out... This is where I'll be on Sat!

<3

Shari Black Velvet

City Faces Huge Demo Over Labs

Cambridge Evening News, (big front page headlines) Tue Oct 7

A MASS mobilisation of animal rights campaigners could see Cambridge face the largest ever demonstration of its kind this weekend.

Coaches from as far away as Liverpool and Cornwall are expected to arrive in the city on Saturday for a rally against Cambridge University's plans to open a primate research lab in Girton.

For weeks websites have been urging people to spread the word throughout their areas, download flyers and put up posters.

They have also been asked to make placards and banners for the day and bring along megaphones, whistles and horns.

A rally and speeches on Parker's Piece at noon will be followed by a march through the streets of the city between 2pm and 4pm.

They will stop en route to protest outside Senate House and outside university labs where they claim animal experiments already take place.

Chief Insp Steve Pearl, of Cambridgeshire Police, said: "They are saying they are expecting up to 1,000 people. I have yet to see that many people on an animal rights demo".

He said he had walked the proposed route of the march with the organisers and promised his officers would try to keep disruption to a minimum.

He said: "We will be advising people coming to Cambridge to use park and ride or leave their car in a car park outside the city centre.

The march is set to go from Regents Street, up St John's Street and along Kings Parade and Downing St before heading back to Parker's Piece. Chief Insp Pearl added: "There will be a significant police presence and it will be highly visible in the city centre. We have to enable peaceful protest but try to minimise any difficulties caused to other people.

*Animal Rights Protesters will make their presence felt today as members of Cambridge University discuss allegations that they were misled over plans for the monkey-testing laboratory.

As the News revealed in August, university's governing body, The Regent House, approved plans for the controversial lab in Girton without knowing animal experiments would take place there.

The truth was hidden by the university's council, which feared staff would be targeted by animal rights activists if word got out.

Their actions were criticised in a report by the University's Board of Scrutiny, which said the deception threatened to destroy the trust between Regent House and those running the university.

It is that report which will be discussed by students and staff at Senate House today.

Although the meeting will be closed to the public, protesters from various groups, including Stop Primate Experiments at Cambridge (SPEAC) and Animal Aid will gather outside to voice opposition to the planned labs.