Campaign against Highgate Rabbit Farm
Encyclopedia
The campaign against Highgate Rabbit Farm, also known as the Close Highgate Farm campaign, is a series of direct action
s by anti-vivisection
activists. Highgate Rabbit Farm in Market Rasen
, Lincolnshire in England is licensed by the Home Office to breed rabbits and ferrets for animal-testing
facilities, including Huntingdon Life Sciences
. Actions have included a raid by the Animal Liberation Front
(ALF) and an arson claimed by the Militant Forces Against HLS. The ALF raid in 2008 saw 129 rabbits removed and £100,000-worth of damage to property. The campaign has been linked to activists involved in Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty
(SHAC).
, Market Rasen, is one of a number of animal-testing facilities in the UK that have been targeted, and in several cases closed, by anti-vivisection campaigners since 1997.
Consort Kennels, which bred beagles for animal research, was closed that year after a ten-month campaign. Shortly afterwards, Save the Hill Grove Cats
—run by the same group of campaigners—was set up in opposition to Hill Grove farm in Oxfordshire, which bred cats for laboratories, successfully closing the farm in 1999. The Hill Grove campaign then set up Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty to close Huntingdon Life Sciences, a contract animal-testing facility, a controversial campaign that continues. In parallel, Shamrock Farm
in Sussex, Britain's only non-human primate
importation and quarantine
centre, was targeted; it closed in 2000 after a 15-month campaign by "Save the Shamrock Monkeys," and an investigation by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection
. Regal Rabbits in Surrey, which bred rabbits for animal laboratories, closed in 2000, 12 days after the launch of a campaign. Save the Newchurch Guinea Pigs
was set up in Staffordshire against Darley Oaks Farm, which supplied guinea pigs for animal research, ending in May 2006 after a controversial grave desecration claimed by the Animal Rights Militia
.
On July 27, 2009, half a dozen SHAC activists set up at protest camp for a few days 100 yards from the farm. In September that year, as part of a Global Week of Action Against Laboratory Animal Breeders, 400 campaigners from SHAC gathered outside the farm. Over 100 police officers were deployed from over five forces, although the day passed peacefully with no arrests. The protest was hailed by campaigners as a success, bringing the farm to local attention.
On July 19, 2010 a Mercedes Sprinter van left at the farm was set on fire, destroying the vehicle. Eight rabbits inside the van died during the attack. Two men were later arrested on suspicion of arson and blackmail."Mercedes van damaged in Lincolnshire farm arson attack", BBC News, July 20, 2010.
In July 2008, a 22-year-old man, Lewis Pogson, was arrested in Worthing as part of an investigation into the ALF raid, which included searching the Friend Animal Sanctuary at East Peckham, near Paddock Wood, Kent. He pleaded not guilty but was later found guilty of taking part in the raid and awaits sentencing.
In October four more activists were arrested and accused of conspiracy to cause damage at Highgate Farm, including further charges of interfering with a contractual relationship so as to harm an animal research establishment and conspiracy. None of those accused were connected to the earlier ALF raid, but had links with SHAC. The prosecution claimed the activists were carrying out a “reconnaissance
” to plan further criminal damage, designed to interfere with HLS' contract with the farm.
Direct action
Direct action is activity undertaken by individuals, groups, or governments to achieve political, economic, or social goals outside of normal social/political channels. This can include nonviolent and violent activities which target persons, groups, or property deemed offensive to the direct action...
s by anti-vivisection
Vivisection
Vivisection is defined as surgery conducted for experimental purposes on a living organism, typically animals with a central nervous system, to view living internal structure...
activists. Highgate Rabbit Farm in Market Rasen
Market Rasen
Market Rasen is a town and civil parish within the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies on the River Rase northeast of Lincoln, east of Gainsborough and southwest of Grimsby. According to the 2001 census, it has a population of 3,200....
, Lincolnshire in England is licensed by the Home Office to breed rabbits and ferrets for animal-testing
Animal testing
Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation, animal research, and in vivo testing, is the use of non-human animals in experiments. Worldwide it is estimated that the number of vertebrate animals—from zebrafish to non-human primates—ranges from the tens of millions to more than 100 million...
facilities, including Huntingdon Life Sciences
Huntingdon Life Sciences
Huntingdon Life Sciences is a contract animal-testing company founded in 1952 in England, with facilities in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire; Eye, Suffolk; New Jersey in the U.S., and Japan...
. Actions have included a raid by the Animal Liberation Front
Animal Liberation Front
The Animal Liberation Front is an international, underground leaderless resistance that engages in illegal direct action in pursuit of animal liberation...
(ALF) and an arson claimed by the Militant Forces Against HLS. The ALF raid in 2008 saw 129 rabbits removed and £100,000-worth of damage to property. The campaign has been linked to activists involved in Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty
Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty
Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty is an international animal rights campaign to close down Huntingdon Life Sciences , Europe's largest contract animal-testing laboratory. HLS tests medical and non-medical substances on around 75,000 animals every year, from rats to primates...
(SHAC).
Background
Highgate Farm, based in the village of Normanby by SpitalNormanby by Spital
Normanby by Spital is a village and civil parish in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 318. It is north of Lincoln just off the A15....
, Market Rasen, is one of a number of animal-testing facilities in the UK that have been targeted, and in several cases closed, by anti-vivisection campaigners since 1997.
Consort Kennels, which bred beagles for animal research, was closed that year after a ten-month campaign. Shortly afterwards, Save the Hill Grove Cats
Save the Hill Grove Cats
Save the Hill Grove Cats was a British animal rights campaign set up in 1997 with the aim of closing Hill Grove Farm near Witney in Oxfordshire. The farm, owned by Christopher Brown, was the last commercial breeder of cats for laboratories in the United Kingdom...
—run by the same group of campaigners—was set up in opposition to Hill Grove farm in Oxfordshire, which bred cats for laboratories, successfully closing the farm in 1999. The Hill Grove campaign then set up Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty to close Huntingdon Life Sciences, a contract animal-testing facility, a controversial campaign that continues. In parallel, Shamrock Farm
Shamrock Farm
Shamrock Farm was Britain's only non-human primate importation and quarantine centre, located in Small Dole, near Brighton in West Sussex. The centre, owned by Bausch and Lomb, and run by Charles River Laboratories, Inc...
in Sussex, Britain's only non-human primate
Primate
A primate is a mammal of the order Primates , which contains prosimians and simians. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment...
importation and quarantine
Quarantine
Quarantine is compulsory isolation, typically to contain the spread of something considered dangerous, often but not always disease. The word comes from the Italian quarantena, meaning forty-day period....
centre, was targeted; it closed in 2000 after a 15-month campaign by "Save the Shamrock Monkeys," and an investigation by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection
British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection
The British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection is a British animal protection and advocacy group that campaigns for the abolition of all animal experiments...
. Regal Rabbits in Surrey, which bred rabbits for animal laboratories, closed in 2000, 12 days after the launch of a campaign. Save the Newchurch Guinea Pigs
Save the Newchurch Guinea Pigs
Save the Newchurch Guinea Pigs was a six-year campaign by British animal rights activists to close a farm in Newchurch, Staffordshire that bred guinea pigs for animal research...
was set up in Staffordshire against Darley Oaks Farm, which supplied guinea pigs for animal research, ending in May 2006 after a controversial grave desecration claimed by the Animal Rights Militia
Animal Rights Militia
The Animal Rights Militia is a banner used by animal rights activists who engage in direct action that ignores the Animal Liberation Front's policy of taking all necessary precautions to avoid harm to human and non-human life.-History:...
.
Incidents
On January 6, 2008, the Animal Liberation Front raided Highgate farm and removed 129 rabbits. A quad bike, lawnmower, van and a sports car were also reported to have been paintstripped and glued, causing £100,000 worth of damage. The ALF said they carried out the raid to stop the rabbits being sold to laboratories such as Huntingdon Life Sciences and other universities in the UK. Following the raid, in April 2009, the farm installed a £60,000 security system to deter potential intruders.On July 27, 2009, half a dozen SHAC activists set up at protest camp for a few days 100 yards from the farm. In September that year, as part of a Global Week of Action Against Laboratory Animal Breeders, 400 campaigners from SHAC gathered outside the farm. Over 100 police officers were deployed from over five forces, although the day passed peacefully with no arrests. The protest was hailed by campaigners as a success, bringing the farm to local attention.
On July 19, 2010 a Mercedes Sprinter van left at the farm was set on fire, destroying the vehicle. Eight rabbits inside the van died during the attack. Two men were later arrested on suspicion of arson and blackmail."Mercedes van damaged in Lincolnshire farm arson attack", BBC News, July 20, 2010.
- Also see "Men arrested after arson attack on van in Lincolnshire", BBC News, July 28, 2010.
- Police investigate arson attack on van in science lab supplier's yard, This Is Lincolnshire, July 21, 2010.
Court cases
- Further information: SHAC: Operation Achilles
In July 2008, a 22-year-old man, Lewis Pogson, was arrested in Worthing as part of an investigation into the ALF raid, which included searching the Friend Animal Sanctuary at East Peckham, near Paddock Wood, Kent. He pleaded not guilty but was later found guilty of taking part in the raid and awaits sentencing.
In October four more activists were arrested and accused of conspiracy to cause damage at Highgate Farm, including further charges of interfering with a contractual relationship so as to harm an animal research establishment and conspiracy. None of those accused were connected to the earlier ALF raid, but had links with SHAC. The prosecution claimed the activists were carrying out a “reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
” to plan further criminal damage, designed to interfere with HLS' contract with the farm.