SPEAK campaign

SPEAK (formerly known as SPEAK campaign) is a British animal rights group working to end animal testing in the UK.

SPEAK
Founded2003 (2003)
FounderMel Broughton
TypeLeaderless resistance
FocusOpposition to animal testing
Area served
University of Oxford, England
Websitespeakcampaigns.org

History

In the early 2000s, SPEAC (Stop Primate Experiments at Cambridge) was formed by a coalition of animal rights groups to fight the construction of proposed laboratories by the University of Cambridge.[1] In 2004, the university announced they would abandon building their proposed Primate Research Facility due to unacceptable financial risks resulting, in part, from the activities of protestors.[2] The SPEAK campaign was a continuation and expansion of anti-vivisection efforts after the victory against Cambridge. "Migrating from Cambridge, the SPEAK campaign is to continue its role in the animal rights debate within the public and political arena through pro-active campaigning."[1]

Allegations of violence

SPEAK campaigns have been accompanied by acts of intimidation, incitement, and violence, usually claimed by the Animal Liberation Front (ALF).[3] Robert Cogswell, co-founder of SPEAK, has said the campaign neither condones nor condemns the actions of the ALF.[4]

Incidents have included an arson attack on Hertford College boathouse; an attack on Corpus Christi College sports pavilion (which was, apparently, confused with Christ Church property); sending threatening letters to building firms connected with the construction project, the vandalism of other firms connected with the university, and threatening violence against Oxford University staff and students.[5]

In December 2007, SPEAK spokesman Mel Broughton was charged with conspiracy to blackmail, two counts of possessing an explosive substance, and two counts of having an article with intent to damage, in connection with arson attempts at Oxford's Queen's College and Templeton College.[6][7] At his 2008 trial he was cleared of possessing an explosive substance with intent, but the court was unable to reach a decision on the other charges. In 2009 he was convicted of conspiracy to commit arson and sentenced to 10 years by the Crown Court.[8] After Broughton's conviction it was reported that police had infiltrated the ALF.[9] According to The Times, the documents obtained by the infiltrator showed the "ALF drew funding from - and often had the same leaders as - ostensibly peaceful groups such as Shac and Speak, an animal rights body in Oxford led by Broughton."[9]

Injunctions

In November 2004, Oxford University obtained an injunction against the groups SPEAK Campaigns, SHAC (Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty) and ALF (Animal Liberation Front). The injunction limited the size of protests and prohibited protesting or loitering within a certain distance from the university's grounds and the property of any of the contractors, university members, employees and their families, its shareholders, its contractor employees, shareholders and their families, and anyone who visits the research laboratory. It prohibited taking photographs of such people or their vehicles or speaking to them.[10][11] The injunction followed mounting complaints from students, researchers and workers about the hours-long use of sirens and megaphones by SPEAK on an almost daily basis.

In May 2006, Oxford appealed to the High Court to extend the injunction after threats were made against the university by the ALF. The court ordered that the injunction be widened to extend the exclusion zone, ban the use of megaphones and afford greater protection to individuals supplying goods or service to the university. A request by Oxford to further restrict the number of protesters from 50 to 12 was denied.[12][13]

In June 2006, Mel Broughton, Robin Webb, and Amanda King were among several animal rights activists who were awarded legal aid to challenge the injunction.[14]

In October 2006, High Court judge Mr. Justice Irwin denied a request by ALF press officer Robin Webb to remove his name from the injunction citing he was not an ALF member but merely a supporter of the group. The judge said Webb was a " pivotal figure" in ALF and should be subject to an injunction, and that Webb was not a journalist but a propagandist who "echoed the threat from the ALF to the university", going "far beyond legitimate self expression".[15]

In October 2006, after allegations were made on the SPEAK website, Oxford University won a further injunction, prohibiting SPEAK from publishing allegations about the identity of contractors.[16]

Advertising ruling against SPEAK

In 2006, SPEAK produced a brochure claiming that Sir Michael Rawlins, chairman of the National Institute of Clinical Excellence said "The animal testing regime ... is utterly futile." NICE objected that the statement was quoted out of context and misleading. In June, the UK Advertising Standards Authority investigated. SPEAK did not respond, but later told ASA by phone that they planned on distributing the remainder of the brochures. ASA upheld the complaint by NICE and ruled that the testimonial was misleading and that brochure breached CAP Code clauses for non-response, honesty, truthfulness, protection of privacy, testimonials and endorsements.[17]

Rival group: Pro-Test

In January 2006, a student group called Pro-Test was formed with the aim of countering SPEAK and defending the use of animals in biomedical research. Both groups called demonstrations in Oxford on February 25, 2006, resulting in about 700 Pro-Test supporters opposed by 200-300 from SPEAK.[18]

See also

References
  1. "About SPEAK". SPEAK. Archived from the original on 1 December 2005.
  2. "Reporter 28/1/04: Primate Research Facility at 307 Huntingdon Road: Notice". Cambridge University Reporter. 26 January 2004. Archived from the original on 2 April 2004.
  3. Foster, Patrick; Woolcock, Nicola (1 February 2006). "Students fight back for animal research". The Times. Archived from the original on 26 July 2008. Retrieved 21 July 2006.
  4. "Bans blamed for lab arson". thisisoxfordshire.co.uk. 29 September 2005. Archived from the original on 27 August 2006. Retrieved 21 July 2006.
  5. Association, Press (11 October 2005). "Threats posted to Oxford lab contractors". Archived from the original on 30 March 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2020 – via www.theguardian.com.
  6. Doward, Jamie. Sex and violence allegations split animal rights campaign Archived 2020-10-10 at the Wayback Machine, The Observer, April 11, 2004, retrieved August 19, 2006.
  7. Davies, Catriona. Animal rights activists plan training camp for militants Archived 2006-07-21 at the Wayback Machine, The Daily Telegraph, July 29, 2004, retrieved July 21, 2006.
  8. "Animal rights fire-bomber jailed". 13 February 2009. Archived from the original on 15 January 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
  9. Grimston, Jack Animal terrorist group foiled by informant dressed as a beagle Archived 2011-06-29 at the Wayback Machine, The Times, March 1, 2009.
  10. "Application to the High Court for an Order". University of Oxford. 9 July 2004. Archived from the original on 2 May 2006.
  11. "University wins animal rights bid". BBC News. 11 October 2004. Archived from the original on 22 August 2006.
  12. "'Clear threats' to new Oxford lab". BBC News. 18 May 2006. Archived from the original on 25 June 2006.
  13. "Oxford lab injunction tightened". BBC News. 25 May 2006. Archived from the original on 26 June 2006.
  14. Walsh, Gareth (18 June 2006). "Animal rights militants are paid legal aid". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 6 September 2008.
  15. "Oxford wins court ruling over ALF". BBC News. 13 October 2006. Archived from the original on 6 November 2006.
  16. "Speak barred from naming firms". Oxford Mail. 19 October 2006. Archived from the original on 10 October 2020.
  17. "Non-broadcast adjudication". Advertising Standards Authority. 21 June 2006. Archived from the original on 21 August 2006.
  18. "Marchers outnumber rights activists". The Scotsman. 25 February 2006. Archived from the original on 22 August 2006.
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