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SPEAK press release on Montpellier pullout

SPEAK Campaigns | 19.07.2004 22:44 | Animal Liberation | Oxford

The decision by Montpellier to withdraw from building the new animal
research laboratory in Oxford is a significant step forward both for
the animal rights movement and for the future of scientific research
in this country.

(For those who have missed the mainstream news, today Montpellier PLC and it's subsidiary Walter Lilly & Co have resigned as builders of the controversial new animal laboratory at Oxford University following a campaign by animal rights activists. Government minsters and other apologists have been pulling their hair out and promising further 'crack downs' for the umpteenth time this year.)

Montpellier opt for Ethical option SPEAK has argued from the outset of its campaigns in Cambridge and now Oxford that using animals to replicate human illness is both a morally and scientifically bankrupt concept. Far from being anti-science, we encourage the development of new technology that will best help fight human disease.

We applaud the decision by Montpellier to withdraw from the building project and hope that it will encourage other companies currently involved in the building of this new research centre to reconsider their decision to participate in a project who's future must surely now be in question.

Since the SPEAK campaign was formed over a year ago in Cambridge, it has continually highlighted the sinister nature of Lord Sainsbury's involvement in both building projects. The Labour Party's main financial backer, Science Minister Lord Sainsbury is known to have huge financial interests in the Biotechnology industry, which will be a major beneficiary from the Oxford site currently under construction.

Oxford University have a long track record of attempting to mislead the public. The University originally claimed that the new building was to be "a holding centre for animals", a lie they persisted with for a number of weeks. A source within Oxford University informed the SPEAK Campaign that the new centre would not be a holding unit as the University had alleged, but would be used for the vivisection of
animals.

Oxford later admitted that their statement had been due to a "misunderstanding" - one which lasted several weeks in local media outlets!

The University have also denied that there has ever been any consultation between themselves and Cambridge to take on some of the plans earmarked for the now cancelled Cambridge project following SPEAK's successful campaign against the University.

Fortunately, the intelligence source within the University who originally alerted us to the true purpose of the centre was able to confirm that Oxford had for several weeks prior to the Cambridge decision been in high level talks with both the Government and Oxford. Indeed, Lord Sainsbury himself had admitted that new
facilities would be found to take over the work that had been planned for Cambridge.

The SPEAK campaign will be pursuing with renewed vigour to press for the cancellation of the building project at Oxford and already has in place new tactics and strategies to legally bring to an end Oxford University's plans to expand its vivisection capabilities.

ENDS

SPEAK Campaigns
- e-mail: info@speakcampaign.org.uk
- Homepage: http://www.speakcampaign.org.uk

Comments

Hide the following 11 comments

They Will Lose

20.07.2004 00:06


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BustA


animal rights terrorists

20.07.2004 08:30

guardian article today suggests animal rights movement is terrorism. strangely familiar. actually the use and experimentation of animals is unnecessary. 2/3rds of world population is vegetarian. pharmaceutical medicine is the cause of pathogenic disease addiction and the basis of a denial of responsibility for the collapse of the immune system in western culture. (see ivan illich). there is an uncanny co-incidence between the nazi experimentation on jews and the unnecessary suffering inflicted in the name of science on defenceless animals. look at the way our land is carved up into concentration camps for animals - and then we eat them! western science is fundamentally flawed and driven by ego-mania ; we can't control nature and we can't escape the responsibility we have for it and our own health - we are part of nature , and so are animals - they have rights which we should respect - defending those rights is not terrorism , it is justified righteousness.

bob
mail e-mail: bbbnorth@hotmail.com


Mainstream Press Coverage

20.07.2004 11:17

I have only had a chance to skim the days' mainstream newspapers, but The Guardian isn't the only one running with the "animal rights extremists" line. This morning's Daily Telegraph has the story as its second leader, quoting one scientist as saying that the animal rights movement should be classified as "terrorists" who were damaging public health. I thought this was deliberately inflammatory and wondered whether the person in question had a professional political axe to grind.

The issue of animal experimentation for medicine has provoked a lot of debate amongst my work colleagues. It is a credit to the animal rights movement over the past twenty years that even quite conservative folks are these days entirely against testing of cosmetic products. Hardly anyone believes it is justifiable, and many people support the animal rights movements in opposing the companies who conduct it. However, the debate becomes much more divided and heated when the issue is medical research, but I don't feel I know enough to debate the issue.

Does anyone have any links to suggest that deal with the debate over animal rights vs medical research as I would like to brush up on the science etc.

Many thanks

Caz

Independent Left


it means we are winning

20.07.2004 11:41

There is a famous quote, I believe attributatble to Gandhi:

First they laugh at you
Then they get angry at you
Then you win.

The price of success is attempts by the state and it's agents to increase suppression. After all the current political system is simply a way of keep the current economic status quo and the inequalities of capitalism. As the policeman on channel 4 news the other night said, the reason they are setting up yet another animal rights taskforce is because campaigns such as against Huntingdon Life Sciences, Oxford and Cambridge Universities are actually starting to impact on the economy.

Expect repression and articles from corporate controlled mainstream media to condem, lie and otherwise damn as terrorists those fighting on behalf of the animals. It is a good sign you are winning! The trick is not to be frightened off or coopted like Greenpeace and FoE, or be intimiated by the police, but to keep fighting hard.

Then, as Gandhi said, you win.

See www.speakcampaigns.org.uk, www.primateprison.org, www.arkangelweb.org, www.shac.net, www.shacamerica.net and www.directaction.info for more information on these struggles.

FtP


Terrorists we are not!

22.07.2004 20:01

After hearing the breaking news on Channel 4 the other night about
the builders pulling out of Oxford I felt a sense of relief.
We are not terrorists! The terrorists are the so called researchers
who go to work every day to torture and kill animals.
In the Guardian a Oxford Scientist said Terrorism does concern us..but
if we ran scared in this department,the animals would be worse off,
how would the animals be worse off? they are already living a life of hell
and as soon as the government realise that Oxford is not going to happen
then the better.
Lets keep up the pressure on Oxford.


Jackie Lambert


Animal rights demonstrators cause misery

24.07.2004 15:46

Saturday 24th July - Animal Rights Activists torture local residents

Animal rights protesters today caused a disturbance in Oxford and brought misery and suffering to local residents. The demonstrators used loud speakers and horns for several hours whilst shouting and disturbed the peaceful community, a torturous act that is becoming a monthly ritual.

We must stand up to the continued suffering and misery inflicted on local residents and encourage peace and quiet to return to our streets. We must campaign against the use of tools of torture such as megaphones and horns and drums that continually plague our once peaceful streets!

Anonymous


Demonstrators lack respect

25.07.2004 00:58

Yeah, too right, these animal rights people are really annoying me with their lack of respect for our streets. They shout abuse at everyone they pass and litter our streets with their leaflets. Its time we stand up to them and tell them that we won't put up with their rude and inconsiderate behaviour!

Joe


school holidays

25.07.2004 12:31

Ah, the school holidays must be upon us as the trolls are out.

FtP


sat 24th july demo

28.07.2004 21:04

Hey oxford kids, we wasnt there for you,we was there to stop the torture
lab being built. The leaflets that you complain about are quite interesting,
they are about the animals that need our help,did you read them or just go down
the pub and moan.For gods sake you should look around your precious city
and stand outside south parks road and see whats in front of you,more torture
and abuse then you could ever dream of.
We were good on that day and we are not the terrorists every thinks we are.
We are the voice for the animals and we will be as loud as we bloody well
please!
As always for the animals.

libby


To Kev

03.09.2004 20:45

A belated thanks, Kev, for the links you provided. I shall be reading them with interest and discussing the issues raised with my colleagues.

Cheers

Caz

Independent Left