What the problem is

In 2007 the UK Government sold public land situated behind the British Library in Somers Town, Camden, London, UK - to a consortium made up of the Medical Research Council, University College London, Cancer Research UK and the Wellcome Trust, for them to build a potentially high risk UK centre for medical research and innovation. Many local residents had hoped the land would be used to build new affordable housing and facilities for the community.

Residents across the borough are horrified by such a dangerous, largely secretive establishment being build, and are fiercely opposing the development.

The development has also caused outrage from residents across the London Boroughs as well as nation wide, who object strongly to the cruel and outdated use of animals in medical/scientific experimentation.

Sunday 25 April 2010

PEACEFUL PROTEST

I attended for about a hour in the late afternoon, the peaceful protest that was held yesterday (Sat 24 April 2010) outside the gates of the site in Brill Place, Somers Town, Camden. The proposed site is across the road from the Midland Road entrance to St Pancras International Railway station.

The site is also surrounded on quite a large scale by residential premises.

Reportedly, protesters had been at the site for quite some time before I arrived and in all there was quite a good sized crowd gathered in and outside the Purchese Street Open Space (a nice little public park) sited opposited the gates of the site.

Various animal rights groups where there with a few stalls such as:
Safer Medicines Campaign (formerly known as Europeans for Medical Progress),

National Anti-Vivisection Society

Animal Aid

Uncaged

And other groups of protesters, some who came from as far afield as Sheffield.

Not sure who was from Camden, but the proposed lab is attracting a lot of attention from all over the country.

There was a film 'crew' (well one person I could see with a film recorder) and various other people with professional looking cameras capturing scenes from the demo.

There was 4 police vans and 8-10 police officers standing in a line outside the site gates and in front of the protesters. As far as I could see police and protesters were well behaved.

A few site employees came out to have a look at what was going on.


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Saturday 24 April 2010

NATALIE BENNET AGAINST THE LAB

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJLsoc-hdu4

Tuesday 13 April 2010

PEACEFUL PROTEST 24 April 2010

Camden Gazette

Animal rights activists to protest over lab bid
nlnews@archant.co.uk
13 April 2010
HUNDREDS of animal rights protesters are set to descend on Camden next week for a demonstration against plans for a £500million medical research lab in King's Cross.

"Several hundred" campaigners will hold a protest vigil in Midland Road opposite the rear entrance to St Pancras International next Saturday.

They oppose controversial plans for a massive superlab due to be built on land behind the neighbouring British Library known as Brill Place.

It would house 1,500 leading scientists from across the globe, with bosses from a consortium including the Wellcome Trust and Cancer Research UK confirming that animal testing would be carried out on-site.

Protest co-organiser Andre Menache, a vet, said: "It will be peaceful. We want to make people aware that there's animal suffering involved and we want the support of the community.

"They don't want it built next door to their homes where their children go to school and next door to an international station. This facility will not be welcomed because of the risk of a terrorist attack and the danger of virus escape which could contaminate the ground and the water supply."

Many residents oppose the plans and say the land should be used for homes and community facilities.

The protest will take place on World Day for Animals in Laboratories with thousands of people taking part in events across London.

Mr Menache added: "Animal experimentation isn't just cruel, its bad science. Last year we had over 2,000 people for WDAIL and we're hoping for more this year. We don't expect all of them to come to St Pancras but there will be several hundred."

A planning application for the lab was to be submitted to Camden Council this spring but officers have demanded the designs be redrafted to be more sympathetic to the surrounding area.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has pledged £250million to the scheme, known as UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation.
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