UK ASSOCIATION REPORTS REDUCED ANIMAL ACTIVIST INTIMIDATION

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has announced that attacks on medical researchers by animal rights activists have been significantly reduced of late, indicating that new government legislation aimed at reducing the problem is beginning to have a positive impact.

A new police unit has also been set up, the National Extremism Tactical Co-ordination Unit, which has helped local security forces to tackle extremists. Court action taken by companies against animal rights groups also seems to have deterred illegal activity.

In the January through June this year there were only two reported cases of damage to property, compared to 29 for the same period last year. However, the severity of attacks has increased with bombs being placed at the homes of two researchers involved in animal research. "Home visits" by activists to medical research employees have also declined from 110 to 34 in the first six months of this year.