Press Guidelines for attending AR2004
AR 2004 crew | 29.08.2004 08:58 | Animal Liberation
Guidelines for those elements of the media planning to come and cover the International Animal Rights Gathering 2004 this weekend in Tonbridge.
Press Briefing
Thank you for your interest in the 2004 International Animal Rights Gathering.
This is a private event aimed at welcoming people new to the animal rights movement, people who have the right to a degree of privacy. We do, however, recognize that there is a degree of public interest in this event and thus are willing to facilitate the media in this. Nevertheless, it is the people attending the gathering who are our first priority and their needs come before those of the media. We hope that by working together we will reach a satisfactory working relationship. In order to achieve this there are a few ground rules to be abided by.
It has been agreed that the press will be allowed to visit the Gathering on Sunday morning, 10.15 to 11.45 am. There you will be able to do some interviews of the gathering organisers and some speakers. Following this you will be taken on a brief tour of the gathering, and allowed to film at three of the workshops:
a) Campaigning for the Over 50s
b) Self-defense
c) Hunt sabbing skills
People will be on hand to answer questions.
The ground rules are as follows
1) Please provide your details in advance, we need your name, your organisation's name, and how many of you will be in your party. This way we can ensure that you are facilitated to get the material you need at minimum disruption to our Gathering. For directions please phone one of the site mobiles from Tonbridge station on the Sunday morning from 9.30 am onwards. Assembly time for the press interviews to start is at 10.15 am on Sunday 5th September. The site mobiles are 07910 205 753 or 07910 226 768. There will be maps distributed at the train station with directions to the Gathering, and there will also be a minibus going between the Station and the Gathering.
2) No entering the site outside of the allotted times - you will be removed and denied further access, including at the Sunday press briefing.
3) No approaching attendees outside of the Gathering.
4) If someone does not wish to be filmed or interviewed, please respect this.
5) While on site you are requested to remain with your party; you will not be allowed to wander around unattended.
Breaking any of these ground rules will result in you being asked leave immediately. Depending on circumstances we reserve the right to make changes, but you will be notified of these as appropriate.
About the Gathering
The 2004 International Animal Rights Gathering is an semi-annual event which has occurred through out Europe since the mid 1990s. Similar UK gatherings have been happening for the same length of time. We are expecting between 300 to 500 people to attend, with visitors from as far afield as New Zealand and Hawaii. This year it will take place in Kent. The nearest town is Tonbridge.
The Gathering itself will consist of a variety of workshops teaching practical skills for activists, introducing people to campaigns from around the world, video shows and generally allowing people of all ages and backgrounds to meet each other in a relaxed and safe environment to exchange friendship and ideas. It is committed to the ideas of animal liberation. A list of workshops on offer is available on the Gathering website www.ar2004.info. It also aims to celebrate the many victories from around the world over the last few years where animal suffering has been stopped by dedicated and compassionate campaigners. While non-violent direct action is considered a legitimate form of protest by the organisers, what it will not be happening is the teaching of people how to break the law or to engage in violent actions.
It is hoped that people will take from the Gathering a sense of belonging to a fantastically successful global movement, inspiration from what has been achieved to date and new ideas about how they can take their own activism further on behalf of the animals.
We are disgusted that David Blunkett and the British Government have been reduced to banning speakers such as Jerry Vlasak and his wife from attending in what is purely a political move on their part. The animal rights movement has been phenomenally successful and this is a childish and hypocritical reaction to the success by the British Government. We will be having a video from Dr Vlasak instead.
For those journalists obsessed with violence, we wish to point out that the animal rights movement has not killed anyone, yet four animal activists have been killed in the UK since the 1970s while attempting to protect animals. We also point out that the real terrorism is the horrific pain and suffering inflicted on animals every day by the various animal abuse industries, from vivisection labs to slaughterhouses.
About the Organisers
The organisers are an autonomous group of grassroots campaigners with many years of campaigning experience between them. The Gathering is being supported by the following groups: SHAC, Speak, Save Newchurch GuineaPigs, Morini, Greyhound Action, the Covance Campaign, BRPC, Hunt Saboteurs Association and London Animal Action among others.
International Animal Rights Gathering 2004
6 Boat Lane, Evesham, Worcestershire, WR11 4BP
Tel: 0845 458 0630
Email:
info@ar2004.info
Web: www.ar2004.info
Thank you for your interest in the 2004 International Animal Rights Gathering.
This is a private event aimed at welcoming people new to the animal rights movement, people who have the right to a degree of privacy. We do, however, recognize that there is a degree of public interest in this event and thus are willing to facilitate the media in this. Nevertheless, it is the people attending the gathering who are our first priority and their needs come before those of the media. We hope that by working together we will reach a satisfactory working relationship. In order to achieve this there are a few ground rules to be abided by.
It has been agreed that the press will be allowed to visit the Gathering on Sunday morning, 10.15 to 11.45 am. There you will be able to do some interviews of the gathering organisers and some speakers. Following this you will be taken on a brief tour of the gathering, and allowed to film at three of the workshops:
a) Campaigning for the Over 50s
b) Self-defense
c) Hunt sabbing skills
People will be on hand to answer questions.
The ground rules are as follows
1) Please provide your details in advance, we need your name, your organisation's name, and how many of you will be in your party. This way we can ensure that you are facilitated to get the material you need at minimum disruption to our Gathering. For directions please phone one of the site mobiles from Tonbridge station on the Sunday morning from 9.30 am onwards. Assembly time for the press interviews to start is at 10.15 am on Sunday 5th September. The site mobiles are 07910 205 753 or 07910 226 768. There will be maps distributed at the train station with directions to the Gathering, and there will also be a minibus going between the Station and the Gathering.
2) No entering the site outside of the allotted times - you will be removed and denied further access, including at the Sunday press briefing.
3) No approaching attendees outside of the Gathering.
4) If someone does not wish to be filmed or interviewed, please respect this.
5) While on site you are requested to remain with your party; you will not be allowed to wander around unattended.
Breaking any of these ground rules will result in you being asked leave immediately. Depending on circumstances we reserve the right to make changes, but you will be notified of these as appropriate.
About the Gathering
The 2004 International Animal Rights Gathering is an semi-annual event which has occurred through out Europe since the mid 1990s. Similar UK gatherings have been happening for the same length of time. We are expecting between 300 to 500 people to attend, with visitors from as far afield as New Zealand and Hawaii. This year it will take place in Kent. The nearest town is Tonbridge.
The Gathering itself will consist of a variety of workshops teaching practical skills for activists, introducing people to campaigns from around the world, video shows and generally allowing people of all ages and backgrounds to meet each other in a relaxed and safe environment to exchange friendship and ideas. It is committed to the ideas of animal liberation. A list of workshops on offer is available on the Gathering website www.ar2004.info. It also aims to celebrate the many victories from around the world over the last few years where animal suffering has been stopped by dedicated and compassionate campaigners. While non-violent direct action is considered a legitimate form of protest by the organisers, what it will not be happening is the teaching of people how to break the law or to engage in violent actions.
It is hoped that people will take from the Gathering a sense of belonging to a fantastically successful global movement, inspiration from what has been achieved to date and new ideas about how they can take their own activism further on behalf of the animals.
We are disgusted that David Blunkett and the British Government have been reduced to banning speakers such as Jerry Vlasak and his wife from attending in what is purely a political move on their part. The animal rights movement has been phenomenally successful and this is a childish and hypocritical reaction to the success by the British Government. We will be having a video from Dr Vlasak instead.
For those journalists obsessed with violence, we wish to point out that the animal rights movement has not killed anyone, yet four animal activists have been killed in the UK since the 1970s while attempting to protect animals. We also point out that the real terrorism is the horrific pain and suffering inflicted on animals every day by the various animal abuse industries, from vivisection labs to slaughterhouses.
About the Organisers
The organisers are an autonomous group of grassroots campaigners with many years of campaigning experience between them. The Gathering is being supported by the following groups: SHAC, Speak, Save Newchurch GuineaPigs, Morini, Greyhound Action, the Covance Campaign, BRPC, Hunt Saboteurs Association and London Animal Action among others.
International Animal Rights Gathering 2004
6 Boat Lane, Evesham, Worcestershire, WR11 4BP
Tel: 0845 458 0630
Email:
info@ar2004.info Web: www.ar2004.info
AR 2004 crew
e-mail:
info@ar2004.info
Homepage:
http://www.ar2004.info