Government crackdown on animal rights extremists

Trade and Industry Secretary, Patricia Hewitt, has announced a series of tough new measures to deal with animal rights extremists who intimidate businesses.

The new measures are part of a new amendment to the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill, which make it an offence to cause "economic damage" to businesses involved in animal experimentation, through orchestrated intimidation campaigns. The measures would also protect businesses who supply or work with animal research facilities, such as courier companies and cleaning firms, as well as company employees and their families, charities and universities.

The new plans are in addition to measures included in the Bill to combat intimidation and harassment by activists. These include a new offence to protect residents from distressing or alarming protests outside their homes and a ban on protestors from the vicinity of someone's home for up to three months. Protestors could also face up to five years in jail for committing any offences.

The introduction of the new measures follow a spate of attacks on animal research and breeding facilities such as Huntingdon Life Sciences and Newchurch Farm. One of the attacks at Newchurch involved the theft of the remains of a deceased member of the Hall family who own the farm.

Commenting on the proposed measures, Trade and Industry Secretary, Patricia Hewitt, said: "The simple fact is attacks by animal rights extremists put medical breakthrough in areas like AIDS, cancer and Alzheimer's directly at risk. This new law will crack down hard on those extremists committing crimes –and some horrific acts – against innocent people involved in the supply chain."

Home Office Minister, Caroline Flint, said: "Animal research has helped saved hundreds of millions of lives and it is absolutely unacceptable that the people working in this field are so often the victims of harassment and intimidation."

Ms Flint also pointed out that the UK has one of the strictest regimes licensing animal research in the world and stressed that animal experimentation was used only when "absolutely necessary." The UK has not licensed the use of animals in cosmetic testing since 1999.

The new measures would not affect legitimate campaigning or action by organisations such as trade unions or product boycotts. However, several campaign groups have criticised the new measures.

A spokeswoman for Save the Newchurch Guinea Pigs accused the government of bowing to pressure from science companies, while Greg Avery from Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty, told the BBC: "The government is bringing in laws to protect people who murder animals. Does this mean that people who are being harassed in other walks of life – such as a woman who is being stalked – are less important?"

(KMcA/SP)