British police arrested 118 activists during a protest against England’s premier horse racing competition, the Grand National, in Liverpool on Saturday.
The activists climbed over fences at Aintree racecourse and at least two of them used a sticker and fasteners to attach themselves to one of the jumps on the course, the environmental group Animal Rising said.
The action caused a 12-minute delay in the start of the race, in which one of the horses died after falling into the first fence. Two more animals died during the three-day festival, the main event of which is this Saturday’s race, backing up the activists’ criticism.
»We respect the right to peaceful protest and the expression of differing opinions, but we cannot tolerate criminal behavior and disorder and will respond robustly,» Merseyside Police have warned.
Deputy Chief Constable Paul White acknowledged that there had been »a major protest» at the Grand National. It started in the morning when a number of protesters gathered outside the racecourse. At 5 p.m. a large group tried to break into the course, so we prevented it with the help of the organization and some spectators,» he said.
White explained that the activists tried to enter from different places. »The perimeter of the course is between four and five kilometers, so it takes a lot of resources to cover all areas,» he said. »They have been expelled with the help of the organizers, private security and agents,» he reiterated.
One of the activists, Sarah McCaffrey, denounced that »whether for food or for fun, the use we make of animals and nature is an example of a relationship that is much more than broken. »We are a nation that loves animals, but the daily pain of these beautiful creatures does not do us justice. We have to find a way to love animals without hurting them. That is why I have decided to put my body between those horses and death on a racetrack,» she has argued.
Animal Aid is calling for a ban on jump racing to prevent cases like the animal that broke its neck at the first fence at the Grand National: »Jump racing must be banned to avoid this horrific brutality we have seen today at Aintree» .
»Innocent racehorses are dying in the name of entertainment and gambling. Aintree is the worst of tracks, it is a disgrace to the Jockey Club,» Animal Aid has remonstrated.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
