Why not say who/what the MRC is? Give some background info perhaps? You may just get new people to turn up if you don't assume everyone's in the know (or are they? am I the only one?......)

To STOP the "World's largest ever, high level, virus containment lab and animal testing lab" being built on a Camden council estate close to major transport links.

They will be testing dangerous contagious viruses and the threat of virus leak is very real. Foot & mouth was leaked from govt facility Pirbright.

Their website is:  http://www.mrc.ac.uk .

the MRC is the Medical Research Council, the Quango charged with supporting, furthering etc (human) medical research.
Normally quite a respectable body they have REALLY blotted their copybook here. although I usually have no time for the animal rights brigade, thi is not about that, uit is about the fact that is sheer lunacy to put this lab in the middle of a densely populated innercity area where a lot of kids live. I'm totally down with Mandy & co on this.
What the hell are the MRC thinking of?

I'm not animal rights either but it's obvious these big organisations like the MRC really don't care about people or animals. They will run roughshod over anyone who gets in their way.

I used to believe the press when they demonised Animal Rights people but now having witnessed what these organisations are capable of and the smear campaigns they run I'm beginning to realise that these big organisations like MRC and Glaxo have some of the worst abuses going.

Why is there a media blackout about Camden? A few months ago several drugs companies were raided in europe on suspicion of price fixing and yet the only mention of it I came across by accident was a small article in Financial Times. Something serious is going on. |As I said I'm not an animal rights person but what is happening here is worrying me!

Form the Guardian, 22/04/2008

 http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/news/story/0,,2275349,00.html

We spoke to members of the emergency services who have not been consulted or informed over the lab. This includes the Fire Brigade, British Transport Police and the Ambulance Service. We have a document as proof of this.
Workers at the Somers Town Community Centre and people from the Somers Town Peoples Forum have urged that "as many people as possible" get down to the Somers Town Community Centre on Saturday and tell these MRC people what you think.

They said that hardly any people were informed about these "open meetings" resulting in few people attending and that the MRC are trying to say that they have "consulted" residents /local businesses and are further claiming that they've had "little feedback so people don't mind".

People DO mind. The MRC staff now have security escorts. This shows that they are VERY AWARE that people MIND....

Get down there and let them know that you mind.

Please also write letters of support to Camden Council who are against the lab for them to present to Gordon Brown who it is claimed plans to overturn the planning permission decision by Camden Council who will deny it. You can also write to Camden New Journal.

When protesting please remember that this is a residential area and do not bring megaphones, airhorns or whistles. Banners or placards are OK.

Please respect the people who live on the estate, who will be disrupted by this lab and who need your SUPPORT.

Mandy

We attended and protested. We did this quietly inside the community centre to shamefaced MRC consortium reps who knew they were in the wrong and stared silently at the floor. The need for huge top-notch security men on the door of and inside the community centre shows just how local people really feel about this lab project. I hope the consortium are invoiced for this rather than the community centre....
And as for people who were "disappointed" that they had no "riot" to film or photograph, this is our home area...there is sheltered housing nearby and we expressly asked people to show respect to the community and not disrupt it. The community is being disrupted enough as it is and our protest was against the MRC consortium.
There are many ways to protest and noisy demos are one but not the only way to get a point across or to protest against something.

Funny I went to the Meet & Greet sessions as well and it wasn't how you described.

I got two leaflets through my flat door, one a week before and the other whilst the event was being staged over 3 evenings and a Saturday.

The people there were very open, helpful and answered all my questions. None seemed shamefaced and all came over very excited and committed to what they were proposing.

London Against Camden Danger Lab
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