Positive Schnews
Two anti-vivisectionists were cleared of disorderly conduct by Blackpool Magistrates’ Court this week, prompting hopes that four similar cases will now be dropped. Keith Richardson and Dean Cain were arrested outside a Vodafone shop on 11 March 2006 as part of a series of 20 similar arrests between March and July of that year. Vodafone were targeted for their financial support of Oxford University which is building a new animal research facility. All arrestees were charged under Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986 for displaying graphic posters which could have allegedly caused ‘distress’. The pictures showed primate experiments that had already been carried out in Oxford, surely causing a little ‘distress’ to the animals in question.
Although the prosecution reckoned that the images were ‘insulting’ and likely to cause distress, the defendants argued they were using their freedom of expression to educate the public about animal experiments. Both men are now seeking advice on what legal action can be taken against the police for breaching their rights to Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. For more information on the campaign go to www.speakcampaigns.org
