New ‘economic damage’ offence to beat animal activists
pharmafile | February 3, 2005 | News story | Sales and Marketing |
The government has unveiled new laws to counteract the intimidation tactics used by activists to undermine animal research.
Animal rights activists have successfully used campaigns of intimidation against any company or individual doing business with research organisations for several years, and have made businesses and research projects untenable.
Courier, cleaning and construction companies have been targeted as well as research projects at Oxford and Cambridge universities and businesses such as Huntingdon Life Sciences, but the new laws will allow the police to prosecute these tactics for the first time.
Announcing the proposed laws, Trade and Industry secretary Patricia Hewitt said: "The simple fact is attacks by animal rights extremists put medical breakthroughs in areas like AIDS, cancer and Alzheimer's directly at risk. This new law would not affect the important right to peaceful protest, while cracking down hard on those extremists committing crimes and some horrific acts against innocent people involved in the supply chain."
The new laws will make it a criminal offence to cause 'economic damage' and will carry a maximum five year prison sentence.
The ABPI said it applauded the new laws, which it says "directly address" the long-standing problem.
ABPI director of science and technology, Dr Philip Wright added: "Since the announcement of further government action on this issue in July, the government has listened carefully to all stakeholders affected by animal rights extremism.
"No one wishes to curb those who wish to make legitimate, peaceful protest within the law, but the activities of animal extremists have descended into a pattern of harassment, intimidation and violence that cannot be tolerated in a civilised society."
New ABPI figures show an increasingly successful and escalating level of intimidation, with more and more companies ceasing to do business with research organisations following threats from activists.
Abusive phone calls and recorded damage to company, personal or public property also rose sharply in the final quarter of 2004.
Meanwhile, the industry is sponsoring a new UK scientific post at the government's National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs).
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