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Police Shenanigans on Recent Sequani Demonstration

An activist | 19.07.2009 17:19 | Stop Sequani Animal Testing | Animal Liberation | Repression

A report about the repression from police onto activists demonstrating against Sequani at the recent No Holiday For The Animals Inside Sequani demo, as well as police repression onto supportive members of the public as well!







A recent demonstration was held against Sequani known as No Holiday For The Animals Inside Sequani, to which some protesters dressed up in holiday gear to remind the public that the animals inside sequani will never see outside of the animal auschwitz they are imprisoned inside of.

A noisy demonstration took place in which lots of activists (and police officers) attended. Clearly the workers hated being named and shamed for the blood drenched on each of their hands, however the point behind this article is to talk about the (WEST MERCIA)police repression and shenanigans that took place there.

Firstly, they threatened an activist with arrest for using the term "puppy killers", saying it's offensive. Yes, killing puppies is offensive and it's also a fact that that's what the workers there do, and that's why we're campaigning to close hell-holes like sequani down!

Next they were trying to obtain details from lawful protesters, which angered them when they were refused.

But also, because the police don't like to see decent activists getting support from decent people of the public, they decided to pull over any member of the public who drove passed and bibbed to show support of us, and fine them all for £30 each! Considering this happens all the time and they wouldn't raise an eye brow if it was not protest-related, and we bet if they bibbed in support of sequani they wouldnt raise an eye brow either!

Shocked activists rushed to the aid of shocked members of the public who had been pulled over for supporting what's right and having an opinion, where the police tried to hold us back and once again threatened with arrest.

The police are clearly forgetting that they are supposed to provide a SERVICE - FOR - the public, not be in charge of the public in which they can do with us whatever they wish.

Their authoritarian attitudes, lack of knowledge about the law and constant shenanigans need dealing with, but as they continue to harass more and more people, members of the public are beginning to become aware about this.

They don't mind people protesting, but they have a problem when the protests become effective.
They try to repress activists and supportive members of the public.
They are abusing people's rights of freedom of speech and right to protest.
But this will never deter committed and dedicated activists and hopefully the public will become aware and not tolerate such behaviour.

See you again soon, Sequani.

An activist

Comments

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If we do not maintain Justice, Justice will not maintain us

19.07.2009 18:34

If we do not maintain Justice, Justice will not maintain us

Sir Francis Bacon


After a period of relative calm..

20.07.2009 07:30

it would appear that the police have returned to normal. As before the remit is to crush all protest outside Sequani, as before this oppression will attract many more protests both outside Sequani and indeed if West Mercia continue to behave badly outside their HQ in Worcester which by the way is crisscrossed with footpaths picnic anyone? Well I am now bailed from Herefordshire so I am quite keen to show my disgust at this blatant sychophancy towards the vivisectors. When I did a demo by myself there last year they had about 3 riot vans and 2 egs present.
West Mercia recommenced their campaign against democracy by arresting a young lad a few weeks ago and are obviously continuing to bully protestors and locals who are opposed not necessarily to vivisection but to the ridiculous police operation and preferential treatment shown to the lab' above all else in the area. Burglaries, threats against the elderly and other things that blight peoples lives are not considered important enough for the police to bother with and then locals see protestors calmly and peacefully protesting outnumbered by these thugs, they are not happy.
West Mercia police need to be taught some manners. Beforehand several complaints were upheld and £25,000 in compensation given because of their violence. Clearly many more demonstrations (we did have it up to 3-4 a week) against this hell hole are needed as are formal complaints against individual officers when seem to really enjoy showing their support for animal abuse.

Lynn Sawyer


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Support

20.07.2009 11:24

Lynn,

Do you feel that the police tactics are the reason we have seen such a fall off in peeps attending demos ?

Solidarity

Mark

Mark


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This posting has been hidden because it breaches the Indymedia UK (IMC UK) Editorial Guidelines.

IMC UK is an interactive site offering inclusive participation. All postings to the open publishing newswire are the responsibility of the individual authors and not of IMC UK. Although IMC UK volunteers attempt to ensure accuracy of the newswire, they take no responsibility legal or otherwise for the contents of the open publishing site. Mention of external web sites or services is for information purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation.

Falling numbers

20.07.2009 11:31

I agree, the drop off in numbers attending the demos is annoying and disapointing but I do not think that it is the police tactics that have been the reason. There is a general feeling of malaise within the movement right now and the failure of some campaigns (SPEAK for example) has demotivated a lot of people but we can rebuild.

SHAC as an example can return as a grouping with new blood, new tactics, new money all this will contribute to sucess in the future if we plan well however perhaps we can also regard those who were once supporters as the chaff that were never fully committed. It is the current central, core grouping who will be the future.

Until all are free.

Another person


VX08 MDK

20.07.2009 19:47

That car VX08 MDK appears to be blocking the road. How about a complaint? Blocking the queens highway or something

Car Watch


West Mercia Policing...

20.07.2009 21:16

The week beginning the 12th July; Wednesday, demo at Sequani, police riot vans, police cars and numerous officers of the law are at Sequani waiting for lawful and peaceful protestors. They stay there all day, Friday, a young man gets punched in a violent and unprovoked attack, and 36 hours later 2 cops turn up to take a statement...

Gemma


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