A Triumph for Animal Rights - a Report on the Peterborough SHAC Rally in July, 2008

A Peaceful Demo Against HLS

Saturday, July 12th, 2008

The day, for me, started off feeding a myriad assortment of birdlife by and on the River Nene before going to psyche out the environment (!) at just past 12, at the Stanley Recreation Ground starting point. I was a bit disappointed at what seemed to be a low turnout, but, at about 1.20, and with me browsing through a rather interesting book about Pop Art in the library, I heard a helluva commotion taking place outside. A drum pounding, what sounded like a cop siren wailing, a voice through a megaphone shouting, and a lot of loud chanting, so I quickly went outside to see a now very impressive turnout. A lively Jack Russell spectator seemed keen to join the procession and other dogs on the march.

I 'joined' the march outside the police cordon (having a bus to catch I was spooked by horror stories from London demos of police keeping demonstrators penned in for hours after the event). I liked the idea of a different perspective, watching the police, and Joe Public, watching the demo. The public seemed agog, and I waited for the smart alec 'wag' to shout at the demonstrators, but I heard nothing. The graphic images of animal cruelty on the banners seemed to stun people into respectful silence, and the impact of this demonstration will worry Huntingdon Life Sciences.

I actually got emotional several times thinking so many people had come out in drizzly weather to speak up for those who couldn't.

Going off ahead, I lost the rally for a time after marching through Broadway, Long Causeway, and turning right at Cathedral Square, but caught up with it again at Midgate, where some strange looking, pro-vivisection leafleteer ambushed me with one of his leaflets, which I threw back in his bag. In hindsight, I should have been more polite, as his views may have been shaped by personal tragedy.