Tell Your MP to Protect Your Right to Protest Animal Testing!

We are deeply concerned that the government is taking steps to restrict people’s right to protest animal testing – but we have a chance to stop this.

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Restricting Protest

In recent years, the government has tightened protest laws, giving police stronger powers to curb disruptions to key infrastructure covering major roads, transport systems, energy supply, and other critical infrastructure. Now, they are looking to target protests against animal testing.

Using powers in the Public Order Act 2023, the government plans to introduce amendments that designate life sciences infrastructure as ‘key national infrastructure’.

Risk of Imprisonment

If this goes ahead, any protests at animal testing sites could be treated as a criminal offence, punishable by up to one year's imprisonment. It is essential that people retain the right to protest the use of animals in experiments. These victims cannot speak out or resist abuse themselves, so it is imperative that others can do so on their behalf.

Animals Tormented in Laboratories

All across the country, animals are being sliced open, injected, starved, electrocuted, mutilated, deprived of water, caged in barren conditions, and killed in horrific ways in experiments. Mice, rats, fish, dogs, pigs, horses, monkeys, rabbits, and chickens are all among the animals used.

Someone, Not Something

Every single animal used for medical tests is someone, not something, who can feel pain just like we do. They are languishing behind closed doors in laboratories, where experimenters can subject them to painful experiments completely away from public view. Animal testing proves itself to be futile again and again – 90% of “highly promising” basic research findings, most of which involve tests on animals, fail to become routinely used treatments within 20 years.

We must defend our right to protest this.

The change to the law restricting people’s right to protest animal testing is scheduled to be introduced without public debate and with only minimal opportunity for Parliament to scrutinise it. The Government did not consult the public on these changes or conduct an impact assessment Rushing through restrictions without such oversight measures means MPs are voting blind on public rights. Please oppose this undemocratic move!

MPs will soon be asked to vote on whether they agree with these regulations. Please write to your MP today, urging them to attend the vote and vote against the regulations.

View Message +

Dear {contact_data~firstName} {contact_data~lastName} MP,

I recently learned that the UK public’s right to protest animal testing is in jeopardy. I am deeply concerned about this and am writing to urge you to take action.

The government intends to designate life sciences infrastructure as ‘key national infrastructure’. This would mean that protests at animal testing sites could be treated as a criminal offence, punishable by up to one year in prison. This is completely unacceptable.

As you are likely aware, millions of animals are used for experiments in UK labs.  Animal experiments don’t just cause huge suffering to animals - they also regularly operate beyond the law. How could any government think it acceptable to restrict the right to protest such an industry?

This is an alarming development. It is vital that people are able to continue protesting against the use of animals in scientific experiments. Animals cannot speak out, whistle blow, or resist abuse themselves, so it is imperative that others are able to do so on their behalf. Animal testing is also a distinctive area where the right to protest carries particular weight, given that public access to information is significantly limited under Section 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, restrictions which do not typically exist in other areas.

Even more troubling, there has been no public debate or discussion, no impact assessment, and only minimal opportunity for Parliament to scrutinise these developments.

This approach is particularly perplexing given the Government’s recent commitment to phase out all forms of animal testing other than exceptional circumstances, acknowledging the need for science to transition to more advanced and reliable methods. Introducing laws that criminalise protest against practices the Government itself agrees should end is illogical and unjust.

As your constituent, I am asking you to vote against the new regulation designating life sciences infrastructure as ‘key national infrastructure’.

Thank you,

{user_data~First Name} {user_data~Last Name}
{user_data~Address 1}
{user_data~City}
{user_data~Postcode}

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