WYAR Supporting Harrods Fur Demo’s

Activists from West Yorkshire Animal Rights Group supported the anti-fur demo outside Harrods department store in London on Saturday.

Placards and banners were held outside, whilst the megaphone was used to inform the public about Harrods’ ongoing support for animal cruelty and suffering. Many thousands of people took leaflets and information.

We will continue to support the campaign to stop Harrods with regular trips down to London to show solidarity.

150 Angry Activists March Against the Bradford Lab

150 activists today held a loud, noisy and visual demonstration through Bradford against the University of Bradford’s animal testing laboratory and calling for its closure.

The march started off in Centenary Square, where speeches were made by Luke Steele, spokesperson for Stop Animal Experiments at Bradford (SAEAB) who talked about the determination of activists to achieve their goals and how if we need to start another campaign like Girton, then we will. Next up was Amanda Richards from Speak Campaigns who spoke about the need to focus n university animal research facilities and the campaign to shut down such laboratories, like Bradford and Oxford.

Following this, the march set off round the town centre where members of the public showed support and over 1,000 leaflets were given out about why we were there. Upon approach to the university, the demonstration became much more focused and angry, showing that we are united in our aims. Chants echoed around the area and nobody was left without a doubt as to why we were there.

Once arriving at the university, activists stood outside the Richmond Building where animals are housed on the top floor and let the animal killers know we were there. The usually smarmy security staff could be seen scuttling around inside the building as over a hundred determined activists chanted loudly outside. The police then decided it was a good idea to start trouble and begun pushing campaigners and arrested two for currently unknown charges.

Debbie Vincent from Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty then spoke about the SHAC campaign and how 40% of the UK’s vivisection is conducted inside university laboratories, such as Bradford and how we need to remain focused and close these hell holes down. Sean Kirtley, who was wrongfully imprisoned under SOCPA, then spoke about how we need to carry on supporting political prisoners, despite state oppression and violence.

Thanks go out to everybody who came and made the day so successful, Veggies for the brilliant vegan food and the Austrian TV film crew who covered the demo for their upcoming documentary.

[Pictures coming shortly]

Leeds Kirkgate Market Goes Fur-Free

Earlier this week, West Yorkshire Animal Rights Group announced the details that the Chinese Lowest Price Shop in Leeds Kirkgate Market was selling items containing real rabbit and fox fur (See – http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/01/444992.html).

We are pleased to announce that a statement has been received from the Market Manager confirming that the said fur products have been removed from sale:

“Via UK Indymedia the Market service became aware of a unit in Leeds market selling items made of fox/rabbit fur.

I can confirm that the Market service are now investigating your concerns;  in the meantime I can advise that the tenant has been advised to remove the items from sale which he has agreed to do.

If you require any further information then please do contact me directly – details below.

Yours faithfully

Chris Ashby
Acting Markets Manager
Markets Service
City Development”

We thank Leeds Council for their swift reaction to this matter and ask supporters to suspend all contact in complaint.

WYARG Featured in the Latest CAFT Newsletter

West Yorkshire Animal Rights Group have been featured in the international magazine of the Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade following our success with the West Yorkshire anti-fur campaigning and protests outside certain shops supporting animal abuse.

To read the newsletter Click Here

No Animal Experiments Taking Place at Huddersfield University

The Stop Animal Experiments at Bradford campaign has, over the past fortnight, been looking into other small competing local universities and their animal experimentation programmes.

We are pleased to announce that the University of Huddersfield do not conduct animal experimentation, nor do they breed animals to be used in vivisection.

There is no reason why other universities, such as Bradford, cannot follow a similar path and only be involved in in-vitro research without the involvement of animal abuse and suffering. SAEAB praise Huddersfield University for this and hope they continue to carry on non-animal research in the future.

Important Campaign Update from SAEAB

Stop Animal Experiments at Bradford are pleased to announce that a meeting is being held between ourselves and a senior member of the University of Bradford to discuss the issues surrounding animal research at the institution.

We are therefore taking the step of suspending all demonstrations currently planned at both the university and their funders until the end of January, when the meeting has taken place.

Any protests following that date, including the National March and Rally in Bradford City Centre on Sat 13th February, are still, until further notice, going ahead so please keep arranging transport and still attend.

We will keep supporters updated about any progress made and thank everybody who has supported the campaign so far.

S.A.E.A.B.

Bradford Uni National Flyers – Ready to Print Off or Order

End of Year Report – 2009

To finish off 2009, we would like to thank everybody who has been involved in helping out with West Yorkshire Animal Rights Group and attended demonstrations or events.

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas (Vegan one of course!) and will see you all again in 2010.

We have summed up this year’s actions and achievements in an end of year report, available to read here.

For the animals,
West Yorkshire Animal Rights Group xxx

09/01/2010 – Noise Demo @ Bradford University

The first demonstration of 2010 will be held at the University of Bradford against their vivisection facilities on Friday 9th Jan.

This will be a noise demo, so please bring anything to help make noise – drums, megaphones, airhorns, whistles and also any banners or placards.

Over the past few months, the Stop Animal Experiments at Bradford (SAEAB) campaign has grown and helped bring the dirty secrets of the university’s vivisection department into the public arena, gaining lots of support from both the public and those within the University of Bradford. Regular demo’s, banner drops, leafleting and actions have most certainly contributed to the effect the campaign is having.

Meet 11.30 at Bradford Interchange Train Station on 09/01/2010.

Another Banner Drop in Bradford

On what is probably one of the busiest shopping days of the year, activists conducted another banner drop on a main road into Bradford City Centre.

“Bradford Uni Kills Animals – www.academicabuse.wordpress.com” was the wording and, again, support started as soon as we began.

Our campaign to end animal experiments at the University of Bradford is growing, with press coverage, regular actions and a large amount of public support behind us. Now it is down to the university to do the ethical thing and stop torturing animals in pointless experiments to test substances such as cocaine and switch to scientific means that do not involve the abuse of sentient creatures.