Intimidating

From the Oxford Mail, first published Wednesday 31st May 2006.

Oxford University today revealed the true extent of the disruption, violence, intimidation and havoc still being caused by animal rights protesters.

Despite work on the controversial £20m research laboratory in South Parks Road progressing swiftly, albeit behind giant sheets of white tarpaulin, protesters continue to make their presence felt.

And the university told the Oxford Mail the daily gauntlet run by students and staff was starting to get "intolerable". On Monday, the Mail reported that singer-songwriter Morrissey, formerly of The Smiths, described Oxford as "the shame of England" for allowing the construction of the laboratory.

During a performance at the New Theatre the pop star, a strict vegan, said "for anyone working in the labs, we are going to get you".

But a spokesman for Oxford University hit back and said: "Staff and students in the science area must run the gauntlet of protesters who shout abusive comments when they go into work or lectures.

"Even inside the buildings the noise which includes megaphones, air raid sirens, and tapes of dogs howling is intolerable, causing disruption to research activities, study and teaching.

"The home addresses and phone numbers of individuals within the university have been published on the web and disseminated by email, with encouragement for supporters to take direct action against those individuals.

"The business of the university has been affected in a number of ways.

"Some contractors have withdrawn tenders or services to the university because of concerns about reprisals from animal rights extremists."

Regular protests and harassment have started to take their toll and last week saw the university granted a High Court extension to the exclusion zone around the laboratory.

However, anti animal testing campaign groups, like Speak, have vowed to continue their demonstrations against the laboratory.

But fears remain that more extremist movements, like the Animal Liberation Front, are plotting something more sinister.

The ALF has already posted a number of warnings online threatening those connected with the university as "legitimate targets".

And a number of organisations involved in the construction have received letters containing threats that members of staff would have their homes and cars attacked unless they publicly severed their links with the university.

There has also been a series of arson attacks one causing £500,000 damage to a college boathouse attempted arson attacks on a second boathouse and to a building used for exam- inations.

And a firm of Oxford architects has had property damaged, with cars spray-painted and vandalised.

Speak spokesman Mel Broughton rejected the university's claim that the protests were too disruptive.

He said: "I'm not saying that some of the demonstrations haven't been noisy, but it was borne out in the High Court that most of the demonstrations have been perfectly well ordered.

"Oxford University don't want us there whatever we do. They don't like what we're saying, they don't like us standing up to them.

"Most of the complaints about noise (submitted to the court) were written and sounded the same. They all emanated from buildings where animal research is going on.

"I reject the whole idea that life has been made difficult for them."

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