Animal rights group claims new coup against Oxford lab

May 31, 2006

An animal rights group is claiming a coup against the construction of an animal testing laboratory at Oxford University after discovering where the builders working on the site are allegedly being housed. Speak has called for volunteers to attend a protest on Saturday outside what it claims is the builders' quarters in a Cotswolds village. "The fact that Speak has managed to identify the precise location of where the workers are being housed will come as a major blow to the whole building project," the group said in a statement on its website. "The plans by the university to keep secret the workers location has been foiled. Such news will

come as a shock to the university. "Once again we have the university on the run - now is the time press home our advantage. Now it’s time to mobilise our resources and bring to an end once and for all, the plans by Oxford University to expand its animal abuse facilities." The demonstration is the latest ploy in a lengthy and expensive battle between the university and the protesters. Last week the High Court in London granted the university a stricter injunction, expanding the exclusion zone around the site on South Parks Road where the £20 million laboratory is being built, and banning the use of loudhailers. It also banned protesters from picketing within 100 yards of the residence anywhere in the country of any protected person - which it defined to include all contractors working at the university. This aspect of the injunction is likely to be keenly scrutinised by the police when they come to patrol

Saturday's protest. Both sides however claimed victory at the court hearing, as the judges overturned an earlier ruling cutting the maximum number of protesters from 50 to 12, and decided that protesters could once more use cameras inside the exclusion zone. Construction of the lab restarted last December after intimidation by extremists had forced work to stop for 17 months. Many of the builders wear balaclavas to protect their identities. A press officer for Oxford University said: "Obviously we would not confirm any details reported on a Speak website. For security reasons we cannot give out any information about groups or individuals working on the site. "Recently there has been an extension to the injunction, whose main aim is to protest people from harassment. Obviously we would encourage anyone in the media to bear in mind that reporting unconfirmed claims might encourage potential harassment of people." Speak implied however that the builders deserved the treatment. "At the end of a day after building a monument to cruelty and a fraudulent scientific practice, they are able to relax and enjoy themselves - accommodation comprises of en-suite facilities, colour TV's and tea and coffee making facilities. "Do they give a moment’s thought for the animals that will die in their thousands, imprisoned in tiny cages? Alone they will suffer: in fear they will die – do they care? Of course not; they are on triple wages." The Speak protest coincides with a pro-testing demonstration in Oxford organised by Laurie Pycroft, 16, a school pupil who has become noted for supporting testing on live animals. Professor Sir Colin Blakemore, Alan Duncan MP, the Shadow Trade and Industry Secretary, and Dr Evan Harris MP, the Lib Dem science spokesman, will speak at the Pro-Test march. The remains of Gladys Hammond, 82, were today reburied in a churchyard, nearly two years after they were dug up by animal rights extremists. Her body was taken by protesters in October 2004 in a bid to force her son-in-law to close the farm where his business bred guinea pigs for medical research. The remains were only discovered four weeks ago, 18 months after the theft. Peter H

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