An activist has completed a 3 day hunger strike outside of the office of Willmott Dixon in Coleshill, Birmingham against them in protest of the new Leicester University Vivisection Laboratory.

On monday 7th June midlands animal rights campaigners arrived outside the site of Willmott Dixon in Coleshill, Birmingham. An activist chained himself to a bench and began the hunger strike. Placards and banners were on show, and the activist would survive on only water throughout the strike and sleep there as well.

Instantly, passing members of the public began to take interest. The area was located on a busy main road, near to the Coleshill High Street. With so many members of the public passing by they couldn't help but notice what was going on and over the three days lots of people approached us, asked about what was going on and were informed about Willmott Dixon, Leicester University and their despicable plans to build a new vivisection laboratory at Leicester Uni. We explained about the unethical and unscientific factors of vivisection, stating that many animals are maimed and killed for an unsafe and unreliable form of experimentation that goes on to main and kill human beings as well, listing the many examples of animal cruelty exposes, cases where animal tested products have caused human harm and the many other forms of experimentation that do not involve the use of animals which would be ethical, safer and better. Members of the public shown their support for us, took leaflets, gave us equipment and even the local shops were filling up flasks of hot water.

Around 5 newspapers should be reporting on the hunger strike protest, including the Birmingham Mail. A link can be found here:  http://www.birminghammail.net/news/birmingham-news/2010/06/09/animal-activist-in-hunger-strike-protest-97319-26618510/

Press coverage means that now thousands of people will be made aware and informed of what Willmott Dixon and Leicester University are doing.

The hunger striker received continued and phenomenal support from countless activists around the country and also in other countries including ireland, america, spain, portugal, greece, netherlands, poland and germany. Activists were present with the hunger striking activist at all times of the protest.

Thank you to everyone who helped with this action!

Let's keep up the pressure on Leicester University and all companies helping to form the new vivisection laboratory.

See www.noleicesterlab.co.uk for more details.