Fifteen activists in London today kicked off the Gateway to Hell re-launch with angry demonstrations outside the companies and organisations directly involved in the transportation of laboratory animals.

First of all was City of London Council’s Department of Environmental Services, who are the only organisation operating the import of animals through the Heathrow Border Inspection Post (BIP). Upon arrival, the council locked all their doors and despite multiple requests refused to send the Director, Philip Everett, ( philip.everett@cityoflondon.gov.uk) out to discuss the matter. Without City of London Council and the Heathrow BIP, it would be extremely difficult to get animals into the UK for laboratory experiments. They were made well aware that they will be a major focus in the campaign and also of the cruelty they are upholding.

It was then time to move round the corner to the Sumitomo Corporation (Vintner's Place, 68 Upper Thames Street, London, EC4V 3BJ // Tel: 0207 246 3681), who operate primate imports through their division, Sumitrans. These animals are brought from the Japanese and Chinese breeding farms and end up in labs, including the infamous Huntingdon Life Sciences. Upon arrival, security staff didn’t know what to do and attempted to immediately shut down their offices. However, staff were trying to leave for lunch and faced a barrage of activists wielding placards and megaphones, informing them that their animal abuse is no longer acceptable. Attempts to send staff out of another door failed as campaigners held placards up to doors and informed Sumitomo / Sumitrans we will no longer stand by.

Next we moved onto World Courier’s UK HQ (Sea Containers House, 20 Upper Ground, London, SE1 9PD // Freephone: 0800 289 839). This company thought they could lie to us about no longer transporting lab animals, however we caught them out and have client numbers for companies they deliver lab animals for, including Charles River UK and Covance Laboratories. When we arrived, it seemed they were expecting us with eight security guards on either side of the entrance. As chants begun, workers were entering back from their lunch break and we informed them of the disgusting trade WC are involved in. Management refused the request to come out and talk, so we continued until it was time to move on again.

El Al Airlines (2nd Floor, 16 Upper Woburn Place, London, WC1H 0AF // Tel: 020 7121 1400) was the next target as they are the only company willing to fly primates from Mazor Farm in Israel to laboratories across the globe. They also transport monkeys captured in the wild in Mauritius. We lined the front of their offices and, despite the awful weather, we fought on naming and shaming El Al. They did not seem to like this and complained to the police, who begun pushing activists and demanding they move outside another company’s office however this was refused and it was agreed we would continue.

We then moved on to the proposed site for the UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation (UKCMRI) in Camden, where a large animal testing lab is planned to be built by many organizations. However, recent cuts have seen the decimation of their budget and planning applications have not yet been placed, even following over a year since the site’s purchase. So, we paid them a visit and stood outside the high-security compound chanting and informing those there that we will fight on to stop the project if it ever sets foot down.

Last of all, we headed to the UK HQ of AstraZeneca, who are a not only a major client of Huntingdon Life Sciences, but are the destination for all the primates being imported through Manchester Airport. A noisy demo went on and the staff were seen out, reminded of the horrors their company commits.

It is time to step up and fight the transport of lab animals globally, for if these animals could not be brought into the UK vivisection here, and globally, would be non-existant.