Posted on 08/24/2005 3:58:26 PM PDT by Hadean
The family-run Darley Oaks Farm in Newchurch will stop breeding guinea pigs for medical research after a six-year campaign of intimidation by animal rights activists.
Liberal Democrat science spokesman Dr Evan Harris said it was "sadly a victory for terrorism and extremism".
And he said the closure could have been avoided "had the government and police acted swiftly and effectively back in 1999 when the campaign of violence and intimidation first started".
The intimidation of the family farm culminated in grave robbery of the remains of 82-year-old Gladys Hammond, who was a relative of the family farmers.
Mrs Hammond, buried in St Peter's churchyard seven years ago, was the mother-in-law of Christopher Hall, part-owner of the farm.
During the campaign of intimidation the farm's owners, workers and any businesses in contact with them came under attack.
Violent extremists have targeted the local pub and the fuel supplier.
"For too long the Hall family and other brave victims of animal rights extremism were left isolated and unprotected," Dr Evan Harris said.
"The new laws on economic sabotage and harassment which were passed earlier this year came too late."
The Conservatives have also criticised the extremists, with local MP Michael Fabricant saying he was disappointed that they would believe their campaign of terror was justified.
Mr Fabricant said it was ironic that guinea pigs would now have to be imported from France and Spain where "the animals are bred in overcrowded conditions and not subject to regular inspection".
Gladys Hammond's body was stolen from
her grave as part of a campaign of
intimidation by animal rights extremists.
Here is a photo of some more British animal rights terrorists shutting down fox hunting. Not too evil and psychopathic looking, are they?
Liberals: Defying logic and reason on a daily basis
I thought reporters in the USA wrote poorly. This almost reads like a string of unconnected thoughts.
Those PETA people sure are theatrical. Don't they realize they are only preaching to the converted with this stunts. Even some of the hard left libs at work laugh at them. Imagine if they ever had to deal with real problems like owning property, holding a job or dare I say, pay taxes.....
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