Animal Rights demo in Moreton-in-Marsh

This afternoon, Saturday, 200 animal rights protestors from as far away as Newcastle, assembled peacefully at Moreton-in-Marsh train station. The object of their ire was the fact that the builders of the controversial new animal laboratory on South Parks Road, Oxford, have been using this place as a base. They were accompanied by 50 police from Gloucestershire Constabulary, who unlike their neighbours in Thames Valley and West Mercia police, have a more realistic and relaxed attitude to policing on such a fine sunney day, for the most part.

At 1pm, there were speaches from Mel Broughton and other activists on the importance of stopping the animal lab, and of the campaigners determination. Then the protestors, most carrying banners and placards, walked from the Railway Station to the Fire Services College. For the duration of the 45 minute walk they kept up a chant to close the lab.

Once at the site, they remained peaceful, entering the pen that had been assembled for them. There followed more speeches where it was hammered home that there was nowhere to hide from the protest as supporters were everywhere. This was followed by a sustained period of shouting 'Out Out Out', a reference to their demand that the Fire Services College kick the builders out. Numerous vehicles passed the protest and sounded their horns in support.

An ex-fireman told the crowd how many of his colleagues were very angry at being tainted by association with the builders, and did not wan them at their college in the first place. Some had expressed fear that the all important impartiality of firemen was being called into question, even though protestors made it clear that they did not hold them responsible for the decision of the University and the Government to foist them on the college.

The one bit of stupidity from the police came when they decided to harass a bunch of elderly people who had not gone into the pen, but sat in the shade under a nearby tree, harming nobody. A prison van was brought down and the police threatened them all with arrest for breaching Oxford University's injunction. The individuals held their ground in the face of such unreasonableness, and the subsequent presence of various TV crews and reporters helped make them see sense and leave them be. The protestors were organised enough to ensure that everyone was well supplied with water.

There was then a good-spirited march back to the station, despite the disapproval of the station manager. An impromptu meal of pasties, salads and juice was produced from the back of a transit, and the mood was positive that the campaign to stop the lab was doing well. There was considerable laughter at the news that the 'Pro-Test' march in Oxford managed only 400 people for their march through Oxford, despite being top story on national and local radio.

While a police notice spoke of supporting Oxford University in their efforts to change their injunction once again, it is clear that as long as the builders are in the Fire Services College, then Moreton-in-Marsh has not seen the end of the protests. Given the level of hostility from within the College itself, and Gloucestershire police's own clear dislike of having been dragged into this dispute, campaigners consider it very unlikely that the builders will end up continuing to use this site for that much longer.

For more information on the campaign against Oxford University see www.speakcampaigns.org.uk