+TheHillgrove Campaign+ Issue 2 Nov /Dec 97
HILLGROVE NATIONAL DEMO LARGEST TURN EVER!!
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tempts by demonstrators to gain access to the farm and witness for themselves the atrocious conditions in which over a thousand domestic cats are kept. The BBC who were filming the event witnessed protesters being pushed back down the slope by the police and at least one protester was injured.
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unday th e _16th November saw the biggest Demo at Hillgrove Farm to date. l\s protesters congrega ted at the entrance to this notorious cat breeders, it became obvious to all that this campaign will wm. Groups came from as far a field as Scotland, Newcastie and Wales and from as far south as Shoreham. Individuals too arrived, for many this was their first demonstration and shows the strength of feeling against Fanner Brown's crnel and indefensible operation. :Magistrates , teachers and opticians, young, the not so young and even families joined together m common pur pose. Thames Valley Police were out in force again, with the usual selection of }dounted Police, Riot Police and uniformed bods, not to mention the Tactical Service Unit (TSU) who dress in ail black have no nu..111bers and appear to take the campaign very personally. These characters drive around in Vauxhall Vectras and have been named by protesters 'The Vectra Boys ' The police helicopter was again present a.t1dall this begs the question ' Whose protecting Oxfordshire when there is a Hillgrove Demo? The police tactic on the day seemed to be maximum hassle and the police were searching everyone as they arrived at Minster Lovell.
Not 'Mob Rule' This was not, as .the media and Fanner Brown would have the public believe 'Mob Rule' this was a group of compassionate and committed people who knew that the line of police stood between them and a centre of animal suffering that we hardly dare contemplate.
A shundreds stream to Wit1tey in tlie largest demo at Hillgrove Farm to date Organizers say
Following sustained attempts to entry to the fam1,protesters were asked to regroup at the main entrance of the farm. Onc e there they moved off to pay a home visit on one of the workers at Hillgrove.
'We will win- It's now just a matter of when' back of Brown's via a public footpath, they were told that they had to produce evidence that they had been searched or wait to be searched.
Home Visit on \Vorker. A characteristic of the Hillgrove Demos of late has been a peaceful presence at one of the workers of the form. A<; protesters assembled outside a house on a modem housing estate in Witney, they were met with what can only be described as a surreal event. Mounted police galloped through the street followed by rows of riot police in full gear charging towards them. For any resident looking out of their win dow on this Sunday afternoon , they vvould have been forgiven for thinking World War three had broken out!
Children threatened with police search. At this point a police Sergeant attempted to say that a group of 5-8year , old children must also be searched, but when pressed to confirm this in front of a video camera, he, not surprisingly backed down . In any event many people found alternative routes to the back of Hillgrove F arn1 and soon a noisy presence gathered at the rear fence .
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As protesters tried to gain access to the assive numbers of police thwarted at-
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tve The Hillgrove Cats Campaign Box CB 111, Magdalen Road, Cowley, Oxford OX4 lRQ
The HillgroveCampaign
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I A Series of Night Vigils illgrove Fann has seen an escalation in the number of Night Vigils, designed to show Fanner Chris BroVirn that our presence 1s never far away.These loud but good humored activities have had immense success, gaining local and national media attention and swelling the numbers of local people who are now voicing their disgust at Bwwn's Evil trade
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Vigil on Sat the 1st November. The vigil officially started at 10.00pm but many people were there well before then. As more and more groups and individuals joined the gathering, the numbers topped forty. Another clear night found spirits high as campaigners gathered around the two burners which were roaring merrily. One of the burners was in a layby 100yds from the entrance and the other stood right outside the entrance to Hillgrove Farm, serving baked potatoes, hot drinks and brandy to groups returning from noisy recce's in the woods. Several iocal cars stopped to show their support and chat with demonstrators over hot drinks.However the occupants of one car ·were prevented from getting out of their car as police surrounded the car and began to take photos of the occupants with a very powerful flash.Furthermore, they were informed that if they didn't move they would be arrested for obstruction even though they were parked in a recognized layby! At about 4.00am there was a long and very noisy firework display and in spite of it being only 4 days to bonfire night the police did not seem to appreciate the display. The Landrovers were brought into the field several times during the night to arrest people, but alas were unable to catch the merrymakers and there were no arrests. \Vith the fire embers still glowing at 8.00am a small crowd welcomed the Sunday workers in. The people camping at Hillgrove over
Keep Pressure on Browij
this weekend are in fact still there and there is now a permanent camp at Hillgrove.
Vigil on Sat 8th November. Another All night vigil was hastily arranged in support of the camp at Hillgrove. About fifteen people turned up armed with food, ,,vineand a brazier to keep us wam1. The four permanent residents of the camp were very pleased with the support. A handful of people \vent for a walk to ·stretch their legs' and minutes later a police helicopter was overhead;(the first of three visits that evening).A police landrover complete with powerful spotlight was also launched into action. · Security guards and police officers on foot were also getting edgy and were deployed to search the woods; none ventured as far as the camp thankfully. Farmer Chris Brown was left in no doubt as to the pUi--pose of our presence as he was issued with a one way dialogue, through a. meg@hone until 4.30am.
was in Hillgrove at the time of the vigil and with loudhalers going through the night until 5.00am, we are sure he got the message. The campaign features virtually every night in the Oxford ]\fail and so press coverage has been excellent, with front page headlines such as 'Courrtess joins fight to close cat fann ' and 'MP calls on Home Office to aliow RSPCA into Hillgrove Farm' When protesters finally dispersed, many stayed behind for food and live entertainment at The New Inn, in Crawley. This local pub has taken the campaign to it's heart and all were made welcome. Free food ,vas available but
NationalDemo report Continuedfrom page 1 as usual with hungry vegans it was gone in no time.
Police sour as the evening progresses.
It was obvious that by the end of the day, when the police tactic of overkill had yet again failed to th\vart campaigners that they would get nasty. Report on Vigil last month The sleepy Oxfordshire village of Crawley became a no go area as police (taken from ARC News) blocked the road searching every vehiAfter the highly successful national cle and every occupant attempting to demonstration on the 28th September enter or leave. One animal welfare peran all night vigil was held on Saturday son was taken to the police station for 18th October that started at 9.00pm. By going equipped (she had an animal first 10.30pm there was about 35-40 people Aid kit and a pet carrier) present on a cold clear night. The Hillgrove Campaign feels that vigils are i...rn- She pointed out to the police at Oxford several hours into her detainment that portant because they show our resolve she had neither been arrested nor cauto end BroVvn'sevil trade, with the term tioned! 'All night vigil' meaning just that- All Inspite of the hassle this demo has got night! to be one of the most successful to It was estimated that there were about date .Media interest in the campaign 70-80 police present with many hidden grows by the day, and as local support in the farm. Three people were arrested increases,so does media support! for shouting abuse, i.e laughing while stood on a public footpath. They were led back through the farm whereupon scores of police were spotted by the protesters. The road outside Hillgrove was lined with candles in jars which must have been quite a sight for passing motorists. It is thought that for the first time we had confirmation that Fanner Brown
The Hillgrove Campaign
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J. • AS SAU TL 'T'"'
'2. Why was Billy Butler not
Billy Butler, Brown's Right Hand Man in Court
charged with Criminal Damage?
Witney Stalls a success IAslocal Support Floods in !
3. ·why was Billy Butler not charged with assaulting a police Officer and imprisoned for it? You can obviously draw your own conclusions to this. Billy Butler was fined and ordered to pay costs a total of about£ 145.00 Billy Butler was not ordered to pay any compensation to the protester.
On October 1997, Fanner Brown 's right hand man, Billy Butler appeared at Witney Magistrates charged with section 5 of The Public Order Act. Supporters turned up at court along with newspaper reporters and a BBC camera crew to await his fate (sadly a prison sentence was not an option)
More help is needed on sfaUs so if you can help,contact the Campaign address.
Billy Butler pleaded guilty to causing a Hillgrove protester 'Ala rm and distress' . The woman reported that they had arrived late for the Hillgrove Demo, which had finished. A 'friendly' police officer beckoned her forward up Farmer BrovVn's drive. The policeman and the protester shared a cup of tea and biscuits and chatted together when Billy Butler marched towards her. He man-handled the policeman before punching the windscreen of the woman's car, cracking it. He proceed to shout and swear at the woman and then picked up a large stone and \Vent to smash her windscreen. There was a child in the back of the car who was understandably very frightened.The woman protester reversed away at speed leaving the policeman to wTestle with the demented Billy Butler!
!TwoMore Vigils planned! There ,vill be a 24 hour vigil between 7.00am and 7.00am Saturday 29th November ( starts 7 .00am Saturday) Also A 24 hour vigil 7 .00am-7.00am Saturday 13th Dec (starts 7.00am Saturday) Public Meeting 3rd December 1997 7.30pm At TheFriends Meeting House 43 St Giles, Oxford. Please support this meeting.
Questions raised. Although happy that this cowardly act by Billy Butler came to court; it does raise serious questions as to whether justice was being administered here or just a token gesture by W itney Magistrates;
1. Why was Billy Butler not charged with section 4 (A more serious and in this case appropriate Public Order Offence?
Hillgrove Campaign stalls in Witney have met with unprecedented support over the last two weeks. 'Local support is even greater than that for the Consort Campaign' said Greg Jennings. 'Pe ople are flocking to the stalls to offer support and take away petitions for friends and colleagues to sign' he said 'And more than that, people are actively supporting us by coming to the,.demos and ,vriting letters to the media etc.' This mobilization of local people will make it hard for the authorities etc. to try to msist that the campaign has been imposed on Witney from out of the area.
Sunday .Jan 18th 12.00 noon Hillgrove Farm.
iets CloseD0wo f armerBrown!
HILLGROVE FARMBREEDCATS FORTORTURE!
Hillgrove Farm,DryLane,Witney, Oxon.breedkittensand catsforhorrificanimalexperiments. Theyholdover1,000 catsat Hillgrove andtheyaresentto labsfromjusta few weeksold.TheHillgrove catsdieknowing nothing butpain ndsuffering. HelpSavethe Hillgrove Catsf
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·A-<. :,FARM- manager lost his ,;..-·c: ,
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windscreen, spat .at one of them . and picked up a stone as if.,to throw it. . Sheila ·Ed:war~s, .pr osecuting, He had been _§,Ilgryafter pro- said .three.woihen arrived by car testers broke into the farm build- late ih afternoon at Hillgrove ings and. damaged a new £36;000- Farm, Minster LoveU. They . · tractor. · . . · . wanted to joi,n demonstrations At Witney court Butler, $; ,_Of protesting against .the . breeding . Mirfield Road, pleaded gruJty. to t>rcatsfor tnedlcaLr~search. using ' thr~atening behaviour on They niistakenly _drove off the · January 18 this year -and wa,s toad and up a lane towards the fln~ £150 and ordered to pay £40 buildings. The defotJ.dant. co.sts towards the case. appeared. •·Protesters fr:om the Save the Mrs Edwards said; "He began Hillgrove Cats -Campaign packed .hitting the windscreen with' his the court . fists . and spat through the . window: They w_ere veryfrightehed." . Julian Smith, .defending , said Butl,er had worked -at the farm for 25 'years, the last ten asmanager . · "That day when he . POLICEhave no ideawho threw paint arrived for work, the during·a demonstrationoutslck!HiUgroYe owner Mr Brown was Farm,nearWitney,at t0pm on Thursday night · · · .· ._·.. · ·.· . away and he found out Det Con RichardGrlffltbssald; ~It could that there had been have been any one of hundredsofpeople extensive damage to · throughoutthecountry;to be honest buildings and machin"We.don't knowhowmany peoplewere ery ;" said ivlr Smith. there. Some peoplecame Oi.11, threw $Orne · "He accep~s ·he lost paintand went back into the dar_kness." his temper and there · · The t,mn is a regulartargetfor animal was perhaps a mis rightsprotesterswho claim that catsbred guided sense ofloyalty thereare usedfor experiments. to_l_lisemployer."
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Eight held in clashes at ·animal rally ~
Barbie Dutter demonstrators, including children, sustained cuts as they fell into barbed wire fences. Hillgrove Farm has been a focal point for animal rights demonstrations following revelations that cats are bred t here for medical experi ments. Earlier th is year ,
AN ANIMAL rights protest at a farm that breeds cats for scientific research erupted in angry clashes between demonstrators and police yesterday. Eight people were arrested and several suffered minor injuries as 300 protesters gat her ed outside Hillgrove Farm near Witney, Oxon. Activists pelteiLthe pol ice with stones and ot her missiles. Officers, some mounted and many with protective· gear and shields , tried to push back the crow d and disperse the demonstrators. About 150 po lice, backed by a helicopter and dogs, tried to prevent the demonstrators breaking down the farm's perimeter fence but were later accused of using ''heavy -handed'' tactics. One woman campaigner, who suffered an ankle injury when she fell as the crowd was being pushed back, was taken to hosp ita l. A woman police officer suf fered a wrist injury and other
act ivists br o ke in and released 14 cats. The .owner, Christopher Brown , said: "The police are having a difficult time with the protesters but I am standing my ground . I will not let them put me out of ·business. The protesters have been into the fie lds and have tr ied to get into some of the farm buildings, but the police managed t o keep them out." One witness said he was thrown into the air by a riot shield and then into barbed wire. "When they hit me it was really very heavyhanded and totally unnecessary," said the man, who asked not to be named.
F~hpoint
: police try to stop demonstrators pulling down the perimeter fence at Hillgrove Farm yesterday
"Duripg eight years of working around Oxfordshire I have never seen the police get stuck in like that befo re. "They were just push ing everyone . The whole inci dent was shocking." He said it had been a "fairly peaceful" demonstra tion until protesters attempted to take down a
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section of the fence. I then saw the riot squad come marching down the road and into the protesters." Thames Valley Police described the incident as ' 'serious" but rejected the suggestion that officers had been heavy-handed. Every effort ha d been made to facilitate the protest. A spokesman
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said: "We fully support people's right to peaceful protest but we cannot stand by and allow people to commit criminal acts." The eight held during the protest were arrested for public order offences and were in custody at a police station in Oxford last night. One man had earlier been
cautioned for possessing drugs and released. A spokesman for the protesters sa id : "The point of the campaign is tha t Hillgrove breeds cats for vivisection in laboratories and we feel that both lawful campaigning, regu lar demonstrations and direct act ion can help close them down."
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Everyone was sickened by
dreadful trade • The Journal'shard-hittingstory hit home as the letter below graphicallydemonstrates.
TIIE REACTIONto the front page oflast week's Journal has been overwhelming. We have been inundaled with letters and calls from our loyal readers in response to the By KATE SPARK article, some of whom were they plan to step up their camin tears at what they saw. Our report exposed an Ox- paign at Hillgrove, with allfordshire fann involvedin the night vigilsplanned for Saturcruel trade of supplyingcat, to days, October I 8 and vivisectionlaboratories,where November I , in the hope that, they are subjectedto painfulex- like Consort, it will be forced to close. periments. Keith Hobbs, a director of Aniri1al rights group Save The Hillgrove Cats has spent Consort,which cea<;edtrading months protesting in a bid to some months ago, said the close the Witney farm down, fann had had to close because and now we can reveal one of of massive secmity costs as a the group's most recent cam- result of protesrn. He added "Staff were vicpaigning successes. tims of horrendous harassVigils Members spent much of last ment. They were targeted at year battling to close down a home, so understandably they cruel beagle breeding farm - began leaving. One member _ and last week their effortspaid of staff had their fingers lacoff when it shut as a result of erated after opening an envethe massive security bill in- lope containingrazor blades." The farm officially closed curred by protests. Only lastweek,Paul andLin- last Friday, after reportedly da McCartney paid £8,000 to sellingthe last 127beagle pupsave the remaining127beagles pies to animal rescue centres at the farm from lethal poison- for nearly £300 each. Much of the enormous bill ing experiment~. The Save the Hillgrove Cat, was footed by the McCart11,rys, withMr Hobbsinsisting group held protests and vigils outsidethe dog-breedingfarm, the dogs ,vere only sold for Consort, before they moved half of what wouldhave been their efforts to J-l;Jlomve A nrl naid fnr fl1Pm Im lnhn~1,...:.-.~
AS MARKETING manager for a new advertiser in the Oxford Journal, sitting at my desk this moming, I opened the voucher copy sent to me to check our first advertiSement As I looked at the front page, the horror hit me. Withtears streaming down my face I went into the office next to mine and, unable to speak, put the paper on the desk.Within minutesyour article spreadthrough thecompany.Everyone,men ·and women, was sickenedby this dreadfultrade. More arid more people should be made aware of this cruelty th3.tshould be abolished- and if animalshave to be killed, then let it be done humanely. We are supposed to be a civilized and caringcoW1try,afterall.
Campaign Until now, I have always been the wrong sort of personwhojust said"how awful"but did nothing. Not any more. Although I live a long way from Witncy, I feel I have got to do something aboutthis.It's not just.a localis.<;ue. Pleasetell me, and otherreaders- fo-st,what we can do to help close this establishmentthat suppliesthese helpless livingcreaturesfor tortureand experimentationfrom the time theyare born untilthe time they die and, secondly,how we canget thisstopped in thiscountryaltogether- and then in Europe.That would be a start. As one person,I knowthat IJlYvoicewould not be heard. We all know the powerofthe media; put thisto good use-spread this piclllrethroughout the country and let everyone seewhat goes on- run a campaignto stop this.Surely,if enough people make their feelings known then finally somegovernmentoctionmustbe taken,and quickly, a~eve1yday so manymore must be suffering. Let us know who to contact, where to write and what we can do. NAM!= ANn AnnRl=SS WITHHELD
AN ALL-OUTcampaignto close Hlllgrovecat breedingfann was stepped up yesterday when animal rightsprotesters descended onthe courtwherea.workerfrom thefann was set Ila iced for threateningbehaviour. Their protest follows an enonnous wave of s~pport for the Journal's front page articlewhich showedthepainfulexperiments cats are subjectedto when they leavefarms such as Hillgrove. We have had calls, faxes and letters from as far. away as Aberdeen,Londonand even a vicar from North Wales, the Rev James Thompson,who also wanted to voice his support and thank us for exposing the plight of the cats.
Dangerous He said: "It is unimaginableto believe that such incarcerationof defencelesscreaturescould go on in a so-called Christiancivilisation." The protesters have also secured the support of the Countess of Mar, who has been advisingthem on health risks following their exposure to dangerous pesticides outside the farm. Lady Mar has been a long-standing campaigner against the use of organcphosphates and has been raising the issue in the House of Lords since 1992. And the protesters themselveswere out in force
yesterday to hear the sentencing of a farm worker at Witney Magistrates Court. Brian Butler, 53. was ordered to pay £150 plus £40 costs · behaviourtowards al a demonstration e
. The campaigners are increasing their protests
and have an all-nightvigil planned at the farm.for this Saturdaydespite many fal1ingi11after contact with potentiall?:_lethal pesticidesoutside the farm
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THESE horrific pictures show why hun~ dreds of protesters descended on an Oxfordshire farm earlier this week to protest
Mr C hris Brown said: ·•The cats at our farm :ire hrc<l ror the ht:nefit 11Lrnimals and humans . Moq 11fihe pr01e:s1or.f commcn1~ :m: misleading ;.md thi! photos are almost i.:er• And the campaigners have vowed to ste p up their out 1Jf dme. protests with two 11)or e already planned for next 111011th 1ainly ··As far as I know most ofthci.:ats ;ireusl!'dforte.stingcat vrn.:• in a bid to ~top breeding at Hillgrove Fann in Witney. cint'.S;i.ndresearchinginto a cnn: for tdine lcubemi;i:-ind AIDS, The Save the Hill~rove CaLSgroup claim that the He said fte !,ad looked into rhc condiri"on,f some of the rn/.s pic1urcs show J typical example 1)f !.heconurecats are in this cow1trYon~ hey ltati rroclwi the labs and Ire is pe,fl'Cf· ly sarisfiedrb°mthey m>th<-7.11.f? subjcded to 1111neccssary cnrelty. subjt--ctcdto oncl! 1..lieyhave left the hri.. '.cding fom1. He addt.>d:··As fnr ;L'iI mncnncerrw ..'LIthesegrou~ arc knod.:mg
at cat breedingfor experimentation.
Pain
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He.~1id: ··Cab are u".:1\JIfor ncr\'e and vie-inne.,;periments becauSI.!their n.:rvou:-svste:rnis so wdl tOmll'{.i.Thi" mcnn, they can endure a lot urp.1 in. "\Ve h:m,; hcal11thnt th.: ~at farm g.:LS£300 :t lime for !.he,,:;.1ts hecau:-e they arc ~pt!cific pathogt:n~free. which me~ub they have no immune :,,y~tem to fight :iga.instwhatc\·cr 3 re.-.can:hcr want.,;todo :·
Hill grove Fann has been .... upplying ammab fur vtvisec~ 1ion for 17 yr:ars anJ suppli c~ inany vf its animals for re•
.~can:h in vctinary medicine. Man.iging Din:ctor 1)f 1hefarm
lhc ,vron£ p.;n,onaltogctlK'r.If someone knocks Jown SOll°,1.. 'Qnc in their car. ~OUlk)not bbnl\; 1hecompa11ywho huilt thecnr." Bui Lyn Williamson, C:.unp;-iignsOrganiscf for lhc Uncage<l C.impaign say,;.vivisection ""'.:rv es no :-,cicntilic purp.>se. She :-.aid:·· rhcre i~ an idc;1in !he fumre tha1 these cxrx·ri· rne11L,;. wil l hdp humans.hut animals are tOla.llyJiffercntan::tom• icall v from humans. We n:.illv need f<) study humans who .t.fl: ii ! 1hemsch·cs. · ·11 1:..it'swhere the real success lies-in clinical ufols."
nut the Bririsll .llcdical Associarioo rccog11~res the "past, prcse 11/andfu/urc importanc e uf human and r1nimal cxperimenrmion in the fig/II againsl disease 1md illness mid the muim e11ancc of good ltmllh in both luurnm nud othl'rnni• ma/ species" .