Nearly 300 people turned up at Darley Oaks Farm at noon on Saturday 2 February 2002. From the outset the atmosphere was electric and the draconian section 14 cordon was immediately ignored and covered in posters! Nobody was prepared to take any more from the police and people were all over the A515 and the blood-stained driveway. The noise was also unprecedented; sirens and drums, screaming and shouting pounding out all day. There were impassioned speeches from campaigners describing the vile conditions in the sheds, the sorry and corrupt state of the pharmaceutical industry and the urgent need to get this hell hole closed before more animals die.
At the end of the speeches campaigners furious at the continued existence of the Halls, took advantage of the measly police presence and went storming off through the woods. Some got nicked but others got away and made a break for the farm shouting at those inside that this is the end of Newchurch Farm and that the animal rights movement is determined to close down all vivisection breeders. About 10 people got round the back of the guinea pig sheds and proceeded to climb the fencing but police arrived. They legged it across the fields, shouting at the Halls as they went! There was no security and there were no more than 7 coppers on the site itself.
Towards the end of the afternoon people pushed over security fencing and made a run for the front of the farm. Campaigners ran across the fields with the police helicopter giving chase and got right up to the stinking hell hole, letting Hall and the police know what they think of the cruelty taking place inside. The police failed to keep people out of the farm but they were chased around and several more were arrested!
Back on the road, the bulk of protesters marched down the now-closed A515 towards Newborough. PC Rushton's vehicle was surrounded at one point, leaving him trapped for half an hour listening to all the reasons why he represents all that is undemocratic and coercive in our society.
This was an amazing afternoon and the Halls and the police must come to realise that we will do all in our power to set those guineas free. The day gave out a very important message to the Halls and their hired militia- that they are incredibly vulnerable and weak despite the full support of the state! The regime which they are trying to construct at Newchurch toppled today. The Halls, the security and police will never ever prevent the inevitable liberation of those incarcerated animals. For Jill and for the guinea pigs - WHAT A FANTASTIC DAY!!
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