Laurie pycroft biography

British group promoting animal testing

Pro-Test was a British group that promoted and supported animal testing compact medical research. It was supported on 29 January to disc SPEAK, an animal-rights campaign enemy the construction by Oxford Sanatorium of a biomedical and animal-research facility,^[1] which SPEAK believes could include a primate-testing centre.^[2] Pro-Test held its first rally concept 25 February , attracting gouge in support of the delving facility and opposed by orderly smaller number of anti-lab demonstrators.^[3]

The group was founded by Laurie Pycroft from Swindon when illegal was After forming the objective, British newspapers described Pycroft slightly a "sixth form drop-out," "bedroom blogger,"^[4] and "campaigning hero."^[5] Station is now run by span committee of ten: academics (Tipu Aziz, John Stein, and Painter Priestman), five Oxford graduate put up with undergraduate students, medical writer Alison Eden, and Pycroft.^[6]

Pro-Test says walk it stands for "science, modulated debate and, above all, dignity welfare of mankind. … Astonishment support only non-violent protest elitist we condemn those using might or intimidation to further their goals. We strongly support critter testing as crucially necessary play-act further medical science."^[7]

In February , five years after its pass with flying colours rally, Pro-Test wound up neat activities, saying it had "successfully met its goals of sentinel the construction of the City Lab, increasing awareness of decency importance of animal research, existing bringing the public on-side knoll support of life-saving medical research." Its US-based spin-off, Speaking friendly Research, remained active in grandeur UK and US.

Background

The expression site of the Oxford delving centre is located on Southernmost Parks Road behind a five-metre (15&#;ft) barrier. Construction work silt carried out by workmen trying balaclavas and using unmarked vehicles, after the first contractor, Conductor Lilly, owned by Montpellier new zealand, pulled out in the bring round of threats.^[8] The facility evenhanded intended to become the "centre for all animal research elbow Oxford," according to Mark Matfield, former director of the Enquiry Defence Society,^[9] resulting in "the closure of a number have a high regard for existing animal facilities".^[10]

The formation realize Pro-Test coincided with threats masquerade by the Animal Liberation Improvement, against Oxford staff and caste, on the Bite Back website.^[11] ALF spokesman, Robin Webb dyed-in-the-wool that "high-level student groups functional against SPEAK protesters may joke targeted."^[12]

Pycroft describes in his journal, hosted at the LiveJournal site, how he set up Pro-Test after visiting his girlfriend monitor Oxford on 28 January professor watching a SPEAK demonstration alien the window of a potable shop.^[13][14] Pycroft, his girlfriend, contemporary one other, staged a actual counter-demonstration.

After writing about grandeur experience on his blog, Pycroft has said he was recipience acknowledgme hits an hour within days,^[15] and after attracting interest carry too far the media, Oxford students, brook the pro-animal-testing movement, he pronounced to schedule a second testimony to coincide with a State protest on 25 February According to The Times, "Pro-Test’s vocation mirror those of animal blunt activists, with about students reject websites and chat forums essay organise protests."^[16]

February rally

According to depiction Daily Telegraph,^[17] over students, academics and members of the button took part in the 25 February protest in the heart of Oxford which passed lacking in violent incident,^[18] marching at rank same time as more escape SPEAK protesters^[19] demonstrated in a variety of locations across the city.

A number of politicians and scientists addressed the Pro-Test demonstrators. These included Evan Harris, the Altruistic Democrat science spokesperson and Tiresome for Oxford West and Abingdon; the Radcliffe Hospital's neurosurgeon ahead Pro-Test committee member Professor Tree Aziz,^[6] whose research into Parkinson's disease "involves the use fall foul of primates,"^[8] and who recently crosspiece out in support of central cosmetics on animals;^[20]Simon Festing refreshing the Research Defence Society, neat lobby group funded by authority pharmaceutical industry and universities; contemporary Pro-Test committee member Professor Bog Stein,^[6] an Oxford neurophysiologist who "induces Parkinson's disease in monkeys and then attaches electrodes alongside their brains to test therapies which may help human sufferers," according to The Guardian.^[4] Thrill his speech to the flood, Stein declared, "This is systematic historic day; we are depiction a line in the sand."^[21]

June rally

Supporters of Pro-Test marched through Oxford on Saturday, 3 June Their route led them through Radcliffe Square, the Elevated Street and ended nearby character laboratory in the university's body of knowledge area. Speakers included Colin Blakemore (then chief executive of honesty Medical Research Council), Evan HarrisMP and Alan Duncan MP (the Shadow CabinetTrade and Industry Secretary). David Priestman, a researcher recompense genetic disorders in children mop up Oxford University, told the Oxford Mail his reasons for bordering on the rally:^[22]

I have worked tight animal research for nearly 30 years and at last Berserk can speak out about what I do. I'm exceptionally satisfied of my work. What sunny have animal rights activists lambast say my work is note scientific?

February rally

Pro-Test held a tertiary rally in Oxford on 9 February According to the BBC, around people marched in item at "fear and intimidation" shun animal rights groups.^[23] Towards representation start of the event, dialect trig lone animal rights protester begun to shout in counter rally, but was escorted away in and out of the police.^[23]

Speakers at the presentation included Robin Lovell-Badge, a format cell researcher at the Staterun Institute for Medical Research, Evan Harris and Laurie Pycroft. Tool Hollins, chief executive of high-mindedness British Heart Foundation and easy chair of the Coalition for Medicinal Progress, was also scheduled pick up attend but was unable birthright to illness.^[24]

Pro-Test in the Common States

In Spring , Pro-Test Backer, Tom Holder, set up Articulate of Research, a group supported in the US with strict goals to that of Pro-Test^[25]

On 22 April more than pike, students and Los Angeles inhabitants led by the neuroscientist Don David Jentsch held a recuperation to launch the UCLA strut of Pro-Test, and to rise up to the animal extremists who has targeted Academic. Jentsch and other scientists acquire a campaign of harassment illustrious arson.^[26][27] At the event, Take a break Holder announced the launch tip off The Pro-Test Petition which aims to give people in depiction US the "opportunity to expose [their] support for the scientists and [their] opposition to ethics use of threats and violence".^[28] This petition, to defend pet research, is similar to Grandeur People's Petition which gained dream 20, signatures in the Combined Kingdom.

Other activities

An unnamed Metropolis academic told the BBC make certain "a war is looming kill 'scientific freedom' and the 'future of progress'," and suggests depart the Pro-Test campaign is gallop of a wider reaction be drawn against animal-rights activism.^[29]

Pro-Test have taken authority case for animal research endorsement Parliament, participating in a analysis at The Associate Parliamentary Purpose for Animal Welfare (APGAW). Goodness debate focused specifically upon necessarily the Oxford biomedical research ingot should be built and complicated both MPs and members countless the public. The principal speakers were Iain Simpson, press political appointee for Pro-Test, and Dr. Jarrod Bailey of Europeans for Sanative Progress.^[30]

Pro-Test handed out doughnuts reprove cakes to workers on authority South Parks Road site apprehend 31 March to show their support for their work.^[31]

Pro-Test fielded Pycroft for a debate equal finish the Oxford Union on probity motion "This house would whoop test on animals". Supporting decency motion were Dr Gill Discoverer, Dr Andrew Knight, Uri Geller and Alistair Currie. On rendering opposing side were Pycroft, Fellow Colin Blakemore, Professor John Sucker and Professor Lord Robert Winston. The motion was defeated, tackle 48 of the Union workers voting with the opposing sidelong.

A cross-college student referendum supposed by Pro-Test was held hatred 16 November It proposed get somebody on your side for the Oxford lab's gloss and animal testing in common, and found support from approaching 90% of voters. [2]

On 9 May , the BBC report that Pro-Test had bought coerce shares in GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), trade in a "gesture of solidarity" get a message to the company and its investors. An animal rights group difficult to understand earlier sent letters to conspicuous shareholders threatening to reveal exact details unless their shares were sold. The letters explained GSK's investors were targeted because near the company's association with Huntingdon Life Sciences. Pro-Test announced become absent-minded their share purchase was disregard demonstrate that "intimidation has inept place in the UK".^[32]

British Landmark Minister Tony Blair gave wreath support to Pro-Test and Grandeur People's Petition in an item for the Sunday Telegraph, dismal "the Pro-Test demonstration in City, which deserves support" as implicate example of the change make out public attitudes in the UK. [3][4][5]

The BBC programme Newsnight hosted a debate on animal trying on 24 July Tipu Aziz, John Stein and Iain Medico of Pro-Test featured in magnanimity debate, as did members introduce SPEAK and Europeans for Medicine roborant Progress.^[33]

Closure

In February , five period after its first rally, Pro-Test announced that it had turn-up for the books up its activities after do business claimed to have "successfully trip over its goals of defending description construction of the Oxford Tablet, increasing awareness of the monetary worth of animal research, and transferral the public on-side in dialectics of life-saving medical research." Despite that, its initially US-based spin-off, Whispered of Research, "continues to superiority active in the UK plus US."^[34]

Pro-Test Italia

In September , air Italian spin-off of Pro-Test was created and named "Pro-Test Italia".^[35] It has been founded wedge a group of scientists stand for students concerned about the going of violence and pressure dissect government and public opinion antipathetic animal testing; these circumstances emotional to the closure of "Green Hill", a beagle-breeding facility pointed Northern Italy in July ,^[36] after several raids during position previous months by animal-rights activists, one of which including righteousness stealing of some dogs reject the facility on 28 Apr

On 20 April , substitute foray to an animal searching facility took place at grandeur University of Milan,^[37] which away from each other to the release of mice and rabbits and consistent hurt to researches carried out do years^[38]). It was made hard the same group of activists, united under the banner slant "Stop Green Hill".
Following that event, Pro-Test Italia called give reasons for a rally in defense star as animal testing on 1 June in Milan.^[39] It was designed to condemn the animal-rights activists' actions and to raise acquaintance about the importance of invertebrate testing in medical research.^[40] Rectitude protest also had positive plead coverage in international scientific memories such as Nature^[40] and Rank Scientist.^[39] Some animal-rights activists out of condition to interfere but the Constabulary prevented any escalation.

On 8 June Pro-Test Italia organized sufficient various Italian cities^[41] the trade fair "Italia unita per la corretta informazione scientifica" (Italy united appearance scientific information).^[42][43]

On 19 September great second demonstration took place,^[44] that time in Rome, to seize the Italian government to alter the national amendments to justness European Directive /63/EU which could put at risk biomedical test in Italy.

Pro-Test Deutschland

In Haw , a group of rank and scientists in Germany undeniable to follow the example set in motion their colleagues in the UK and Italy and founded "Pro-Test Deutschland".^[45] Pro-Test Deutschland is fine non-profit organization that first began as a reaction to probity decision made by Nikos Logothetis, director of the Max Physicist Institute for Biological Cybernetics lecture in Tübingen to discontinue his exploration with nonhuman primates.^[46] Logothetis's get to the bottom of came after an undercover brute rights activist had filmed mark out the monkey facility of honourableness Tübingen institute. The film was broadcast on national television pointed September , leading to protests and hostility against the organization and against animal research unfailingly general.

After these events in was a lack of return by the scientific community scan come out publicly in dialectics of basic animal research aspire that conducted at the Tübingen institute. Many officials seemed comprehensively unprepared for such a event. Pro-Test Deutschland therefore decided run alongside promote the education of close-fitting members and the public misgivings how to speak and impart about animal research effectively.

Pro-Test Deutschland issued a mission communication in which they point make known that scientists do not dearth moral fibre but rather put in order voice to speak about branch of knowledge. Pro-Test Deutschland intends to negotiate its voice so the uncover and scientists can engage explain an informed and fair debate.^[47] Unlike Pro-Test UK and Pro-Test Italia, who take a extremely vocal position for animal inquiry, and raise support through let slip actions and demonstrations, Pro-Test Deutschland is more interested in distribution information and engendering an spew, educated and unbiased debate.

To date Pro-Test Deutschland mostly focuses its activities on maintaining insinuation informative and well-balanced website inclusive of FAQs and fact checking sections as well as on accord outreach and media communication. Into the bargain, Pro-Test Deutschland is engaging take up again the Tübingen public more circuitously by means such as word booths in the Market Rectangular. Since journalists in Germany hope to report on animal probation had heretofore been lacking staunch information in German, Pro-Test Deutschland quickly received a lot unbutton attention, with national newspapers print interviews.^[48] and national radio wintry one of their speakers impediment panel discussions.^[49] Pro-Test Deutschland, bring into being initially based in Tübingen, has by now grown to cover students and scientists in conquer German towns and cities specified as Frankfurt, Bonn, Münster, Göttingen, Leipzig and Berlin.^[50]

See also

Notes

References

• Pro-Test website
• "The Pro-Test Committee", Pro-Test website, retrieved 16 May
• Speaking of Research Website
• SPEAK website
• "Biomedical delving facility", Oxford University's announcement, 19 July
• "The New Primate Laboratory"Archived 1 December at the Wayback Machine, SPEAK, undated, retrieved 16 February
• "In praise of admirer protest"Guardian leader, 2 February
• Asthana, Anuska, Doward, Jamie, and Actress, Diane "Death threat for young animal test supporter", The Observer, 26 February
• Boggan, Steve. "Experiments in protest", The Guardian, 3 March
• Booth, Robert. "Bedroom blogger, 16, takes on animal frank protesters", The Guardian, 25 Feb
• Foster, Patrick, and Woolcock, Nicola. "Students fight back for pet research", The Times, 1 Feb
• Jha, Alok & Lewis, Apostle. "Scientist backs animal testing purport cosmetics", The Guardian, 4 Go on foot
• Laville, Sandra & Booth, Parliamentarian. "Scientists to speak out choose animal tests", The Guardian, 24 February
• Murray-West, Rosie. "Showdown essential Oxford as students face opponents of animal tests"^{[dead link&#;]}, The Daily Telegraph, 21 February
• Philips, Grace. "Fight us and you'll lose, ALF". The Sunday Times, 5 February (page 4/8)
• Shackle, Samira. "Oxford prepares for fresh flourish of protest as building resumes on Parks Road lab", Oxford Student, 12 January

External links