Oxford seeks animal protests ban
Activists protested at the university’s last court appearance
Oxford University is seeking an injunction against animal rights protesters who campaign against its biomedical research centre.
The university says since building of the £20m centre resumed last November, threats and criminal damage have risen.
Oxford has now returned to the High Court to try to extend the exclusion zone around the building site.
It comes days after Prime Minister Tony Blair condemned the “appalling” actions of animal rights extremists.
Oxford University already has temporary injunctions that limit when and how protests can take place, and also protect a wide group of university-related people from harassment.
Builders ‘threatened’
It allows a demonstration opposite the site on South Parks Road, on Thursday afternoons, but bans protest activities within the exclusion zone.
It says builders have faced threats and disruption and there has been criminal damage at the site since work resumed there in November.
Oxford wants to limit weekly demonstrations to a maximum of 12 people - down from 50 - for an hour at lunchtime.
It also wants to extend the injunction to provide the same level of protection for those who supply goods and services.
What the university is seeking to stop here is the growth of a mood of violent and aggressive protest
Prof Colin Blakemore
Professor Colin Blakemore, chief executive of the Medical Research Council, told BBC News the university and Oxford itself is “living under constant threat”.
He said demonstrations by relatively large groups of people were very disruptive to the work of the university and to students’ studies.
He said: "What the university is seeking to stop here is the growth of a mood of violent and aggressive protest against the university and everyone associated with the university.
"Agreed, nobody is comfortable with the idea of restrictions of freedom of expression of opinion, it’s not really aimed at that.
“It’s not attempting to stop all demonstration. It’s just looking for a reasonable balance and relief of the university and the city from the constant, constant harassment.”
But Mel Broughton, of animal rights group Speak, told BBC News the restrictions could lead activists to more extreme forms of protest.
‘Protesting attacked’
He said: "It goes way beyond what’s necessary.
"What they’re seeking is in fact an attack on the right to protest, it has nothing to do with curbing criminal activity.
“I’m afraid that this continued attack on the legal process is likely to have the effect where some people would give up on the whole idea of legal process and take to a process outside the law.”
Last month, Mr Justice Holland said it would be irresponsible to grant the university the injunction it wanted.
The latest hearing, in London, is expected to last three days.
this article was taken from the bbc online:
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4992434.stm