CRIMINALISING PROTEST
i am very concerned about two recently tabled government amendmants in the Serious Organised Crime Bill.

Clauses 142 and 143 are broadly drawn amendmants which will criminise many forms of peaceful protest. They will turn minor public order offences, into serious criminal offences, if the acts take place as part of a protest against animal research.

The new proposals are framed so that they can be extended in the future (Clause 146) to encompass all kinds of peaceful protest.

The vast mojority are anti-vivisection campaigners are peaceful and non-intimidatory. The only people to have been killed or injured are animal activists themselves.

Anti-cruelty campaigners are very concerned that live animals are poisoned in toxicity tests, surgicaly mutilated, infected with leathal pathogens, psycologically tormented, scalded and subjected to other serious assaults.

As we differr from animals, the results of these experiments can never be applied to people. Many drugs that pass animal tests go on to seriously harm and kill people.

M.RICHARDS, Newcastle, Staffs
A letter to and printed in the Daily Mail- March 14th 2005