Guardian highlights drop in animal rights extremism
A recent article in the Guardian newspaper by James Randerson (June 30) charts a dramatic decline in animal rights extremism: with the exception of Oxford, personal attacks by animal rights extremists on academic scientists engaged in animal research have ceased, according to the Police. This is backed up by the Research Defence Society, who report "a sudden and very marked decline in targeting individual researchers around the country in a personal way," for the first time in 30 years.
Various factors are cited for this trend, including improved police responses, new laws, successful prosecutions and changing public attitudes since the launch in Oxford of Pro-Test, which campaigns in favour of animal testing. Operation Achilles brought to heel numerous animal rights extremists in police raids on addresses mainly in the UK but also in Belgium and the Netherlands, with 12 people so far charged.
Mr Randerson's article also stresses how academics are speaking to the Media in far greater numbers in favour of animal research, without being targeted as a result. Last December's Weatherall Report on primate research commissioned by the MRC, Wellcome Trust, Academy of Medical Sciences and the Royal Society, specifically recommended more open communication on the issue of animal research.
In a circular to the scientific community, the Science Media Centre confirms the trend, stating that for the majority of UK scientists, "speaking out on this issue has not resulted in any problems for their labs or any contact whatsoever from any extremists....there has never been a better time to speak out on...the role of animal experiments in their discoveries."
This trend is welcome news to the CGD community, which has so much to gain from scientists being able to do their jobs without fear, obstruction or inhibition.
As a member of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC), the CGD Research Trust upholds the AMRC position on the use of animals in research, including the principle that animals should only be used for research if it is essential and there is no alternative.
Links
To read James Randerson's article click here
AMRC website
CGD Policy on use of animals in research
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