HU TINGDON DEATH SCIENCES CAMPAIGN Huntingdon Life Sciences who will now only be referred to as Huntingdon Death Sciences are one ofthe largest contract anllnal testing companies in the world. They have laboratories at Huntingdon Research Centre, Woolley Rd, Alconbury, Huntingdon, Cambs PE18 6HS. Tel: 01480 890500 Eye Research Centre Oecoid, Eye, Suffolk IP23 7P:X.
Altringham Road, Wilmslow, Cheshire. Princeton, New Jersey, USA.
All ofthe labs are animal hell-holes, They are animal concentration camps. The razor wire, security fencing, cameras and guards are testament to the fact that Huntingdon Death Sciences are obsessed with secrecy. fu their company literature they boast to their muhinational chemical giant contractors ''your secrets are our secrets". No-one except the people who drive through the gates with their permission knows what goes on. fu April '97 an undercover documentary called 'Countryside Undercover' exposed wanton cruelty to the animals in their care. Two senior animal technicians (Andrew Mash and Robert Waters) were shown to hit some ofthe dogs in their care, and even simulate sex wlri1st trying to take blood samples. The Home Office pretended to take these abuses seriously by suspending Huntingdon's licence but decided to allow any current testing to continue. These individuals were prosecuted and found guilty but as usual the courts gave them a slap on the wrist of 60 hours community service order and costs ofÂŁ240. A month after the exposure in the UK an
undercover agent in America, from People for the Ethical Treatment ofAnimals (PETA) exposed cruel conditions in the New Jersey site ofHDS. HDS are now suing PETA and have issued a gaging order stopping them from campaigning against HDS. HDS allege that PETA's infiltrator copied confidential documents and made secret video-tapes. One ofthe things she found out was that thirty seven beagles were to have one oftheir leg bones sawn,
then snapped with a stainless steel wire all without anaesthetic. The experiments were to test a drug known as YM27 5 which it is believed help to mend broken bones. The tests were to take place at the New Jersey lab for a Japanese company called YamanouchiPharmaceuticals. Because ofthe adverse publicity the tests were cancelled and eventually the dogs were bought by famous actress Kim Basinger and are now living in happy new homes. When the 2nd exposure came outHDS's shares plummeted and were suspended on the stock exchange to stop them going any lower. They were later unsuspended but they carried on going down and were again suspended. In October the Home Office decided to renew HUn.tingdon's torture licence sealing the fate ofl,OOO dogs; 10 baboons; 200 marmosets; 450 macaques; 13,000 mice; 35,000 rats; 2,000 rabbits; 4,000 guinea pigs; 3,000 birds; 4,00 fish and smaller numbers of other spec1es.
Not content with the amount of suffering they are able to inflict Huntingdon have applied to build a beagle breeding unit at their Oecoid site in Suffolk. Within 3 days of:finding this out the council received over 80 letters of objection and have adjourned their decision until8/12/97. Letters objecting to application 902/97 should be sent to; S.G. Brooks, Head of development control, Mid-Suffolk district council, 131 High street, Needham Market, Ipswich. IP6 8DL.
We will beholding a demo on24/ll/97 at 9:30am outside the front gates ofHuntingdon Death Sciences, Barrack road, Oecoid, Suffolk. For more information about the demo or anything to do with Huntingdon Death Sciences, telephone 01902 71193 5 or phone the camp at Huntingdon on 0589 026435.
WHY THE HUNTINGDON CAMP WAS SET UP The camp was set up in response to Barry Home's hunger strike, to achieve maximum publicity for the Barry Home Support Campaign, and to publicisethe atrocities carried out on animaJs at HLS. We also wanted to highlight the fact that two Senior Anllnal Technicians at HLS had been accused of cruelly tenifying beagles and that those .incidents were not isolated? A small group of activists visited HLS to survey the surrounding area and to decide where the camp would be situated. It was decided to set up on land directly opposite HLS so that we were constant reminders to them, remindingthemthatwe'rehere andhereto stay! The next stage was to find out about the legalities of squatting land and legal representation. We contacted various environmental groups to ga.in advice, and they were very helpful The land registry was also contacted to find out who the land belongs to. On the day ofmoving onto the land we had in our
possession some very important items, they were, a section 6 notice and a stake to nail it to, a roll ofplastic tape, and a couple oftents, wood, and equipment. A small group set offto set up the camp. Immediately on arrival we put the stake into the ground and pinned the section 6 notice to it, we then set up the tents and marked our boundary to the site with the plastic tape. We dug a hole in the ground and made our fire, and the camp was set up. S.ince that day, the camp has grown enormously and we have learnt so much. With possibly a few weeks to prepare for "The Eviction" we started to dig in from day one. Our aim was to cost HRC vast amounts ofmoney, inconvenience and bad publicity. Expert advice was sort from Manchester and Newbury Earth First activists, along with various other appropriate professionals. Work was underway on 11 lock-ons, 2 tree houses and one tunnel Three weeks later we were ready to resist eviction and on red alert.
EVICTION Around 6am when it was barely light, appearing from nowhere we were met with a convoy ofriot vans and sheriff's men. Within seconds loads ofblack-clad police stormed into the camp (apparently, 15 0 bods in total). Luckily, they gave us plenty oftime to get to our lockons/positions etc. We then proceeded to make a cup of tea and slowly packed lip our stuff Everyone was in good spirits and the plod were incredibly fluffy. The media moved in to interview lock-on people etc. A van was laid on, courtesy ofthe under-sheriffto shift our many belongings down the road. After several hours the ''movers" were asked to leave the area. We did this and
promptly began setting the new camp up just around the comer. The line ofpolice already waiting in :front ofthe new field didn't seem to have a problem. It took most of the day to remove people fromlock~ons and the treehouse, leaving only Greta in the tunnel
THE NEW CAMP We are now living on a larger site in a field round the back ofHDS. The camp is still :firmly rooted as being 100% VEGAN, and it always will be, growing strength in numbers day by day. We have established a well run community oflike-minded, caring people who wish to see an end to the cruel experiments, but more people are always needed, and will be welcomed, so please take the time to come down.
I
'4'. •
:.
II
I
I
I
• I
..
I
~·
:
=·. . II
II!
,h
II;-~
•
I
I
....
I
•
·A... ·.. ~
I
November 8th saw about 100 people attend "Camp Rena's" bonfire party. There was a large picket ofthe gate as the workers left to go home. An effigy of Christopher Cliffe (Huntingdon's evil director and spokesperson), was enthusiastically burnt on the fire to many cheers. There was food laid on by Veggies and ''Camp Rena" punch to warm people up. Unfortunately it rained for a while but as soon as it stopped the fire was stoked up and people had a good time into the early hours ofthe morning.
THE WILMSLOW CAMP On 16th October following several24 hour vigils and daily pickets at the gate, protesters from the North-West moved onto laud behind the Wtlmslow Research Centre in Cheshire and a camp was set up. They have been holding morning and evening pickets to welcome to workers in and out. There as been plenty of local support with people stopping to hand in food and other donations. Last week they held another 24hr vigil with 16 people attending. There was drumming and juggling to keep people amused. This kept the guards on their toes all night Speaking ofthe guards, they are now are now doing their rounds every hour and there are now three extra guards, two from the Cambridge site. One ofthem is being put up in a four star hotel a couple ofmiles from the site.
On the 21 November we are holding a public meeting at W:tlmslow Parish Church Hall · Chancel Lane, Wilmslow starting at 8pm all are welcome. Representatives from Uncaged and Pat Rattigan the Naturopath will be speaking. Ifyou need a lift from Wtlmslow station to the camp contact 0958 451525.
More people are urgently needed for both camps please try and make it, even ifit's only for a couple of days. The camps are part of a bigger campaign to close HDS down which is gaining momentum all the time.
CONVICTED TECHNICIANS' 10 YEAR REIGN OF TERROR The 2 convicted animal technicians that were exposed in the Countryside undercover documentary were inflicting pain and suffering in 1989. Sarah Kite who worked for 8 months at the Huntingdon hellhole, worked alongside Andrew Mash and Robert Waters. In one horrific experiment she says "he [A Mash] grabbed themroughly by the right paw and forced them to sit between his legs. Many ofthem struggled violently and tried to run away, but they were pushed back and a large tube forced down their throats into their stomachs." During this experiment A Mash was the technician in charge, he would be responsible for setting a good example to trainees, some ofwhich were still at school In the last 10 years, 2 people have infihrated HDS and both times shocking cruelty has been exposed, you may be wandering why every time someone gets information out it results in an Home Office investigation, yet it doesn't appear to stop it carrying on.
We have been getting good TV & Radio coverage, and of course the local papers have been interested in us.
This may be due to the fact that there are only 18 Home Office inspectors ( soon to be increased to 21) for all the good that will do, to inspect over 300 establishments involved in the vivisection industry. These inspectors also have the resp onSI.'bility ofdeciding which vivisection licences are to be granted. In 1996 there were 5,600 licensed vivisectors, that's one inspector for over 280 vivisectors an alarming statistic.
We have had two people arrested for harassment and they are in court sometime in December a demo is planned contact the camp number for details in a couple of weeks .
We believe that ifregular thorough inspections were allowed, then Huntingdon Death Sciences would end up having their licence to vivisect permanently withdrawn.
One ofthe worker's house is up for sale and he as not been seen for a while, it is believed he may have left.
Cooperative Insurance Society We have found out that the Cooperative Insurance Society have substantial share holdings in HDS. The CIS are wholly owned by the Cooperative Wholesale Society who also own the Coop Bank, Coop Travel and some but not all ofthe Coop retail supermarkets. The Coop Bank and Coop retail outlets pretend to be ethical (see left hand side part ofthe Coop'snewnewspaperadvert). The Bank: is claiming that ifyou bank with them then their will be less animal testing than banking with other banks. Utter rubbish. Now that their is a voluntary ban on cosmetic testing NO bank now invests in companies that test finished cosmetic products. The Coop Bank will still invest in companies who test cosmetic ingredients and the Coop's sister company the CIS is investing in HDS. We are calling on people to boycott all ofthe CWS companies until the CIS sells their holdings in HDS. You can contact the Coop Bank on 0800 7311299 or write to FREEPOST MR8192 Manchester Ml 9AZ ring or write to then, let them know how disgusted you are that their sister company is investing in dodgy companies. You can help by leafleting your local Coop Banks, Insurance offices, travel agents and supermarkets. Leaflets will be available by the end ofNovember. They are £13 per 1,000 encl. Contact the liDS campaign via PO Box 339 Wolverhampton for leaflets and more information.
WHAT YOU CAN DO! 1. WE NEED PEOPLE! Get involved with the camp. Come down for a day or stay longer. Join the pickets at the
entrance oflll..,S every day between 8-9 am and 4-6 pm Telephone the camp on 0589 026 435 to check details. Give us a BEEP as you park. You can write to us at: Camp Rena, Offthe Al (North), Past Woolley Road (HRC), Alconbury. 2. Donate equipment to the camp: firewood, tarpaulins, vegan food, are always needed. Ifyou are unable to get down send a donation. letters of complaint to the directors oflll..,S: . ........ . .
·-··
Also write direct to HRC, Woolley Road, Alconbury or ring them on 01480 892000 (fax: 01480 890693). 4. We want information. Ifyou used to work at HLS or know someone who did, let us know what goes on there. If you currently work at HLS let us know. Anyone passing .info over will be guaranteed immunity from persecution. If you know someone who works for HLS and is unrepentant, let us know their details.
5. Collect signatures on our petition- write offfor a copy. 6. Adopt a cruelty-free lifestyle. Avoid products which have been tested on animals (details from ... ). Cut out animal products from your diet. 7. Ifyou aren't local get involved with your local group or campaign (Details from ...) Veggies, at 180 Mansfield Road Nottingham, NG13HW 0115 958 5666 or ARC News, PO Box 339 Wolverhampton, WV10 7BZ Tel 01902 711935 8. Ifyou can make next April's liDS AGM in Cambridge we have shares available for people to become a shareholder. Write to us giving your name and address and we will send you more details. A HUGE THANK YOU FOR ALL THE SUPPORT, DONATIONS AND HARD WORK THAT HAS MADE THIS CAMP A BLOT ON HRC'S LANDSCAPE- A THORN IN THEIR SIDE!
HUNTINGDON DEATH SCIENCE'S CAMPAIGN C/0 PO Box 339 WOLVERHAMYfON WVlO 7BZ