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UK maatregelen tegen dierenrechtenactivisten
kwaaie pier - 31.01.2005 11:37
Gefrustreerde dierenmishandelaars pushen de Engelse regering om hen die opkomen voor de rechten van gevangen en gemartelde dieren harder aan te pakken...
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4221427.stm
'Clampdown' on animal activists
Huntingdon Life Sciences has been the focus of activists' protests
Animal rights activists could face five years in prison for targeting research centres under measures to be published by the government.
The plans, part of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill, follow attacks on scientists and breeders.
These include graffiti, hate mail, malicious phone calls, hoax bombs and arson attacks.
But campaigners say isolated incidents do not justify the introduction of laws banning legitimate protests.
The bill would make it a criminal offence to cause "economic damage" through campaigns of intimidation.
'Right response'
The plans also include giving police powers to arrest anyone protesting outside the homes of scientists.
Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt told BBC News: "We can't have these extremists going way beyond the bounds of peaceful protest into these vicious campaigns of intimidation which have not been stopped by individual laws.
"The law that we are proposing is the right response to what is becoming a growing problem and which is threatening to destroy a very important part of medical research in our country."
Last year, when the bill was mentioned in the Queen's Speech, Heather James, a member of the anti-vivisection pressure group Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty, said: "People who break the law know the risks they are taking. Changing the law is not going to make any difference.
"They should be looking at what the labs are doing, rather than turning their attention to us."
Protesters will be banned from the vicinity of someone's house for three months under the plans.
Police will be given extra powers to take action against attacks on companies in the supply chain, including couriers and cleaners.
Company employees and their families, as well as charity shops and universities, will also be protected from intimidation.
The government believes such attacks threaten medical breakthroughs in Aids, cancer and Alzheimer's disease.
Last month the prime minister said the government would introduce "strident measures" against animal rights extremists.
The government plans follow attacks on centres such as the Huntingdon Life Sciences and a farm in east Staffordshire where guinea pigs are bred for medical research.
Grave disturbance
Police recorded over 450 incidents at Newchurch farm, owned by the Hall family at Darley Oaks, between February 2003 and last month.
The most recent attack involved stealing the remains of Christopher Hall's mother-in-law, Gladys Hammond, 82, from her grave.
A spokeswoman for Save the Newchurch Guinea Pigs said: "These plans are nonsense as they cover harassment and intimidation, which are already illegal.
"It seems that big science companies are putting pressure on the government who, in turn, want to look like they are doing something."
Extremists also launched more than 100 attacks, including car vandalism and painting graffiti, on the homes of Huntingdon Life Science laboratory workers last year.
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| Lees meer over: natuur, dier en mens | | aanvullingen | | | Extremisten | nn - 31.01.2005 21:24
Grappig om te zien hoe het woord "extremist" pas echt als een politiek scheldwoord voelt op het moment dat ze het over jou hebben. Je zou toch denken dat de "extremisten" degenen zijn die op industriele wijze dood en verderf zaaien, niet zij die hen willen tegenhouden. Nou, de BBC verliest dus weer een paar karmapunten.
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