Lib Dems criticise guinea pig farm closure
The Liberal Democrats have criticised the government for being too slow to bring in laws against economic sabotage, as animal rights extremists close down a farm.
The family-run Darley Oaks Farm in Newchurch will stop breeding guinea pigs for medical research after a six-year campaign of intimidation by animal rights activists.
Liberal Democrat science spokesman Dr Evan Harris said it was “sadly a victory for terrorism and extremism”.
And he said the closure could have been avoided “had the government and police acted swiftly and effectively back in 1999 when the campaign of violence and intimidation first started”.
The intimidation of the family farm culminated in grave robbery of the remains of 82-year-old Gladys Hammond, who was a relative of the family farmers.
Mrs Hammond, buried in St Peter’s churchyard seven years ago, was the mother-in-law of Christopher Hall, part-owner of the farm.
During the campaign of intimidation the farm’s owners, workers and any businesses in contact with them came under attack.
Violent extremists have targeted the local pub and the fuel supplier.
“For too long the Hall family and other brave victims of animal rights extremism were left isolated and unprotected,” Dr Evan Harris said.
“The new laws on economic sabotage and harassment which were passed earlier this year came too late.”
The Conservatives have also criticised the extremists, with local MP Michael Fabricant saying he was disappointed that they would believe their campaign of terror was justified.
Mr Fabricant said it was ironic that guinea pigs would now have to be imported from France and Spain where “the animals are bred in overcrowded conditions and not subject to regular inspection”.
