Yesterday I went to Oxford in order to join the demonstration by academics and students, in support of the new research laboratory being built by the university.  The march and rally was the first in support of the lab; the animal rights lobby however has been vocal in their campaign to stop the lab’s progress.  The Animal Liberation Front (ALF) are committed to achieving an end to animal research by any means, including intimidation, extreme violence and arson.  In recent months they have widened the scope of their anger, calling now for anyone – student, teacher, caterer, supplier – who is connected to the university in any way to be targeted as an enemy of the animals.  They have already succeeded in intimidating one construction company into dropping out, causing all building work to stop for a year.  Now, many of the builders wear masks and balaclavas to work; fearful for the safety of themselves and their families.  At last though, a small number of students and academics have decided to risk making themselves targets, in order to speak out about the vital work they do.  Immediately I heard about the Pro-Test rally, I knew I wanted to be a part of it.  I contacted the organisers offering to add my voice to theirs.

There were a number of friends who advised me against making a public stand.  Didn’t I realise how dangerous and unreasonable the ALF were?  What about my safety?  What about the safety of my children?  I understand their concern and, I’ll admit, I had a few anxious moments on the journey to Oxford.  But I also know that it is precisely because I care about the safety of my children, that I know how important it is that medical research continues.  Without animal-based research in the past, I know for certain that at least one of my children would not be here today.  I want my children to grow up in world where they are offered increasing protection from deadly diseases.  I want to know that I myself will live to see their children and, hopefully, their grandchildren.  And I know that for my children, as for all of us, much of that protection is going to come from labs like the one being built in Oxford.

Last year the Hall family were, after years of horrific harassment, finally pushed to the point where they no longer felt able to continue with their business, breeding guinea pigs for research labs.  The final straw was the theft of the corpse of the family’s grandmother, stolen from her grave.  The Hall family had, unsurprisingly, had enough.  When I heard that they had been forced to close I felt, at first, anger; and then shame.  Shame that I had done nothing to prevent it.  For months the press had reported the trials of the Halls and yet, like most people, I had just assumed that they would work on because ‘that’s what those people do’.  And then the ALF crushed them, and I saw how I, how we, had abandoned them; too scared to stand up and fight their tormenters. 

The work done by medical researchers benefits all of us.  Don’t ever try to kid yourself that this is not your problem.  Anyone who has dealt with cancer, with diabetes, Alzheimer’s, antibiotics, anyone who has vaccinated a child or taken a pain-killer; we are all end-users and we should never turn a blind-eye to that.  The scientists who do this work live with threats and risks every day, and we let them.  Every time they step into their labs, they do so for us.  It is time for us to, in turn, look out for them.  We can, and should, be joining together, publicly, to build a wall around them.  To stand between those who are trying to help us, and those who would stop them.  We have to stop leaving the scientific community to fight this battle alone.

The ALF spreads lies.  They will tell<