Animal rights activists dropped banners and protested on the roof of the construction site of a new animal lab in Leicester on Monday. Banners were also hung on other University of Leicester buildings.
The National Anti-Vivisection Alliance (NAVA) claim that 101 animals already die in the university's labs each day and that the proposed £15m facility will add to this. The university claims that only rodents will be used at the new facility, but NAVA say they believe that dogs will be used as well.
NAVA was rapidly formed following the university's announcement that it was going to be building a new animal lab on Lancaster Place. Whilst the university claims that "vital" research will be carried out at the facility, NAVA say that the new lab "is squandering money away from potentially life-saving research which is accurate and does not involve abusing animals."
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Communique received by NAVA
Activists today visited the University of Leicester due to their plans to build a new animal lab on Lancaster Road.
Upon arrival at the new site, we scaled the fence and climbed on the roof of the construction site. It was in our minds and hearts that if we do nothing, this new construction will be filled with animals being abused in disgusting and pointless experiments. A large banner was hung off the scaffolding at the site, reading 'Stop the Leicester Animal Lab'.
Next of all we visited another building on University Road, which also had construction ongoing. Another large banner was hung off the scaffolding, letting everyone know 101 animals are dying inside Leicester Uni's labs every day.
Any university building or department is a focus for our protests, not just the new laboratory.