Comments on: Report: Animal Rights Conference – Part 1

By: Tom Holder

Tom Holder — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:04:23 +0000

Ecogeek, I do agree here – My point was to illustrate the factual inaccuracies in their “facts”.

In the UK we do not allow cosmetic testing at all (although some components of cosmetic testing may be tested for other reasons) and that is fine by me. This website does not serve to defend cosmetic research, only medical research.

By: Ecogeek

Ecogeek — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 08:29:54 +0000

>2. No law requires that cosmetics and household products be tested on animals
>- This is just plain wrong. Any novel cosmetic product in the US MUST be tested >on animals, however one can use previously animal-tested chemicals to put new >cosmetics on the shelf.

I’m not per se agains animal testing (I think there are genuine cases where it would be justified), but can anyone explain to me why we need these new cosmetics ?

Do we really feel that the pain we inflict (even if the extremist tactic is to pain a much worse picture than it in reallity is) to these animals is of no importance at all ?

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:14:28 +0000

Thanks for the input Marie. I wasn’t aware that the links between members of the Green party in Ireland and SHAC, though knowing of the close links between the Green Party in the UK and the anti-vivisectionist movement it’s hardly surprising. I think Green MEP Caroline Lucas might even have spoken at a SPEAK rally a couple of years ago. Oddly enough though the Oxford Green party was pretty evenly split on animal testing last year, though perhaps they have more members than usual who are actually familiar with animal research and all too familiar with animal rights extremism http://www.rdsblog.info/index.php/weblog/animal_rights_black_and_white_not_green/.

I suspect that following their decision to enter coalition with Fianna Fail, their U-turn on the M3, fence sitting on the Lisbon treaty and other actions in the past year the Irish Green Party will find itself down a few seats in the next election.

If you’re at a University in Ireland and would like to invite a speaker form Pro-Test to deliver a talk or take part in a debate you should get in touch via the contact e-mail at http://www.pro-test.org.uk/

By: marie diffily

marie diffily — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 20:56:53 +0000

It’s great to see the British public finally take a stand against these extremist and I like many other ordinary men and women commend you for your own bravery in speaking up for animal researchers. I watched the documentary of Monkeys, Rats and me, I think people like Colin Blakemore and Tipp Aziz are real modern day heros. I live in Ireland and although we have not seen anything like the level of intimidation that there is in Britain, Irish activists are very closely linked to SHAC, SPEAK,PETA and the ALF and to make matters worse unlike the U.K. and America, these extremists that have provided platforms in Ireland for Steve Best, Keith Mann, Robin Webb and Heather Avery are policy makers for the Irish Green Party, who are junior members of the current Government.(the Irish Green Party state they are ‘the only political force with an animal rights philosophy at its core’), they describe animal research as ’scientific fraud’. So while British. and American Governments are introducing new laws to combat this terrorism we have Green Party members that are listed on the U.K. SHAC’s website as SHAC Ireland

By: Paul

Paul — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:07:30 +0000

It’s interesting that Hankins chose the campaign against HLS and the grave robbery of Gladys Hammond as examples of the successes of her style of direct action, since anyone familiar with what has happened since would have realized that they are also an example of how such actions can backfire. The actions of SHAC and the campaign against the Hall family at Newchurch may have won tactical victories for the animal rights extremists, but in the long term they lead to strategic defeat for the extremists. They forced the government to pass tough new laws against such activities and establish a police unit, NETCU, to coordinate police actions against animal rights extremists and others that use intimidation, vandalism and violence in pursuit of a social or political agenda. This tough new approach has had great success in reducing the number of AR related attacks over the past couple of years http://www.rds-online.org.uk/pages/news.asp?i_ToolbarID=6&i_PageID=3029.

At the same time these campaigns had the effect of making the public and media commentators increasingly concerned at the tactics used, and the case of the desecration of Gladys Hammond’s grave provoked widespread disgust and condemnation of the activists involved. The overall effect of the AR extremist campaigns was to turn the general public against the animal rights movement, particularly when it was obvious that there were intimate links between the leadership of “above ground” organizations such as SHAC and SNGP and the underground ALF.

The success of Pro-Test in Oxford can be viewed as the culmination of a rising tide of support for the victims of AR extremism. As for HLS, it’s been quoted on the NYSE for a couple of years now, where its share price is doing very well indeed!

I’m not surprised that many AR activists are not too keen on Hankins’ brand of direct action!