Friday 24th Two activists from Gloucestershire Animal Action were holding an information stall in Stroud when they were approached by a police officer. His attitude towards the two individuals became immediately obvious when he began the “anything to shut us down and shut us up” routine and proceeded with comments such as “You are blocking the public highway” As the pictures clearly show, the activists clearly were not blocking anything and were set up outside an empty shop. The statements continued; “We could do you for littering…”?! They were really clutching at straws at this point and stated “We have had complaints about the imagery on the front of your stall and we want your details. The activists replied “I would rather not give my details, Have I been anti social?”, “No, but we believe you have committed the offence of blocking the public highway”, the police then warned the activists of impending arrest and told them to stop taking photographs on a camera phone. When one continued to refuse to provide his details (as is his legal right to decline such information) the PC moved in for the arrest whereupon the activist went limp and fell to the floor.

The activist was then dragged into a vehicle by four police whist angry members of the public shouted at police to protest the obvious police bullying and intimidation. The Mayor of Stroud who was bystanding during the arrest was horrified and joined onlookers in contempt for the illegal arrest. We were later informed that the mayor apparently reprimanded the police for their extreme tactics against freedom of expression.

After arriving at the police station the activist was interviewed during which an officer admitted the interview was only “to cover his back” in regards to his use of force. After a half arsed apology the activist was released from custody with “No further action”. Needless to say the police apology does not mark the end of this situation and legal action against the force and officers in question will (as always) be the next step in this ordeal. Local press were present during the whole ordeal and said the arrest had a very good chance of making front page news as the force used by the police was so excessive and many onlookers were distressed by such brutality.

Saturday 25th was another scorcher as a demonstration started against Thomas Cook (against their support of the import of wild primates from the island of Mauritius) at around midday opposite Gloucestershire Animal Action’s information stall. After a few minutes a female staff member came out and told the lone activist who was handing out leaflets to members of the public “It is illegal to protest outside here, move away or I will have you arrested.” To which the activist replied, “I think you should phone the police as you obviously have no clue about the law.” She then retreated back into the shop and around an hour later, the police community support officers are on site informing us that “you need a permit to hand out leaflets from the council” to which we responded; “only if we are selling something or touting for business which we aren’t, do we need a permit: This excludes religious or political leafleting.” She then asked for the activists details and the activist refused as he had not broken the law or been anti-social once during the protest. “It doesn’t matter,” she (PCSO 9118) said. “Are you refusing to give your details then.” The activist replied: “Yes, I only need to give them if I have been anti social and I haven’t”, To which PCSO 9118 stated “OK, you will be arrested then” and called for back up. Ten minutes later a male officer, PC 1931 and Sergeant 1958 (all pictured below) arrive at the scene and enter the shop after asking If anyone has been inside to which the activist responds: “No, you have been watching on CCTV so you know that.” Moments later the Sergeant calls in the PC, exits and proceeds to inform the activist that he is being arrested under Section 5 of the public order act. The activist then sits down on the floor and goes limp. Handcuffs are then produced and placed on the activist, who is then asked by the PC: “Are you going to resist?” The activivist replied “No.” (Passive resistance is not resisting arrest; you are fully within your rights to go limp when officers try to arrest you) the male PC then twists the cuffs causing a cut on the wrists of the activist and considerable bruising after the veins are broken. The officers then call for back up as it is apparent they will not be able to lift an 18+ stone man into a police car by themselves, even if they are resulting to assault to get him in the car. Minutes later two male police officers (Pictured – ID numbers needed) they lift the activist once and after failing the older grey haired cop decided to pinch with his nails the inside of the activists arm leaving an 11cm bruise (which has been documented by a police doctor – if you are injured during an arrest by a cop always ask for a doctor at the station. It is your legal right to ask and be seen by one). The activist was finally pushed into the car with crowd of around 100 people shouting at officers for not doing real police work and stopping peaceful protest and cheering for the activist who had a good chance to let the crowd know why he was being arrested during the whole ordeal.
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Gloucestershire isn’t becoming a Police state it already is.

Notes for editors:

Ten animal rights activists have been arrested in Gloucestershire in the last 12 months spanning 17 arrests.~

(c) Gloucestershire Animal Action – Please ask for permission before you use the pics

“The dissenter is every human being at those moments of his life when he resigns momentarily from the herd and thinks for himself.”
– Archibald MacLeish, poet and librarian (1892-1982)

“Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are anger and courage; anger at the way things are, and courage to see that they do not remain the way they are.”
– St. Augustine

“My aim is to agitate & disturb people. I’m not selling bread, I’m selling yeast. “
– Unamuno, wall graffiti from Paris, May 1968

“If only I could so live and so serve the world that after me there should never again be birds in cages. “
– Isak Dinesen (pen name of Karen Blixen), author (1885-1962)

“Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centres of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”
– Robert Kennedy

“Remember that there is a meaning beyond absurdity. Be sure that every little deed counts, that every word has power. Never forget that you can still do your share to redeem the world in spite of all absurdities and frustrations and disappointments.”
– Abraham Joshua Heschel

“Every good and excellent thing in the world stands moment by moment on the razor edge of danger and must be fought for, whether it’s a field, or a home, or a country.”
– Thornton Wilder

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”
– Anne Frank

“Patience is also a form of action.”
– Auguste Rodin, sculptor (1840-1917)

“Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.”
– Edmund Burke, statesman and writer (1729-1797)

The banner was left hanging for around 30-40 minutes before security from the arcade along with community police officers ran to try and apprehend the individual who dropped the banner, although no laws were broken and the roof is accessible via a fire escape with no private property warnings? The banner was eventually taken down by security.

Simultaneous demos were taking place during the banner drop outside Vodaphone and Thomas Cook with a huge amount of public support(to the horror of community police who were told to monitor all protests for the day). four information stalls were set up with loads of speak / vivisection info, petitions, AR and vegan outreach materials were available to members of the public.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Felix, Felix is the name given by vivisector Tipu Aziz to a macaque monkey whom he intends to abuse and torture for the next few years. The irony of his naming should not be lost on us. Tipu Aziz avowedly has no feelings for animals, yet he has chosen a name for the animal that is to be his slave. Aziz has freely admitted: if it was left up to him he would kill animals in order to test cosmetics and Aziz also believes we should be experimenting on Great Apes.

Felix is the monkey who featured in the recent BBC2 documentary, ‘Monkeys, Rats and Me’, aired on 27th November, 2006, which showed the sanitized, ‘acceptable’ face of vivisection that vivisectors want the public to see. The BBC issued an apology to Europeans for medical progress regarding the bias of the documentary maker (this can be viewed here) and invited EMP to be involved in arguing the anti vivisection side of the story in future documentaries.

Gloucestershire Animal Action will be running a stall to help raise awareness for Felix and all the other sentient beings that are suffering at the bloody hands of Oxford University and in laboratories all across the world. Please come and help us pass on this vital message to the public.

Location: Cheltenham Town centre, near to the Beechwood Arcade.

Time: 1.30pm onwards

Date: 4th of August

For more info please contact us.

For more information about Felix and the campaign against the Oxford torture lab visit the SPEAK website please visit www.speakcampaigns.org

We had decided after Neils death that a few members who knew Neil well would attend his memorial but most of us would honour his memory doing what he did so well, promoting veganism and respect for all living beings.

You can view the Memorial booklet given out at Neil’s funeral here and you can submit your tributes and remembrances to arc@veggies.org.uk

Here are some pictures of Neil in full effect – RIP brother.