La Belgique chasse encore les chats
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Keith Mann : attention, héros
Keith Mann is a British animal rights campaigner and writer, widely considered to be "at the top of the Animal Liberation Front pyramid."[1] He is the author of From Dusk 'til Dawn: An Insider's View of the Growth of the Animal Liberation Movement (2007).
Benjamin Zephaniah writes that Mann is viewed as a cause célèbre within the global animal rights movement.[2] He first came to widespread public attention in 1994, after being sentenced to 14 years imprisonment for setting meat lorries on fire, one of the longest sentences to be handed down to an animal rights activist. Mann escaped from Stretford prison, and was later found at an animal sanctuary run by model Celia Hammond, who had unwittingly given Mann and his girlfriend jobs at the sanctuary, unaware that they were on the run.[3]
In an interview with The Guardian in 2005, Mann advocated a "turn to extremism" by the movement. "I would prefer that we could change things using legitimate methods that are there for changing the world," he said. "But the government have taken away their right to protest and driven people to the kind of tactics that are more productive. It is more useful to sabotage property ... All that is left now is to turn to extremism."[1]
Background
Mann was raised in Rochdale, Lancashire by his father, who worked as a caretaker, and his mother, whom he describes as having done "everything else."[4]
His first job was on a dairy farm while on a youth training scheme at school. He writes in From Dusk 'Til Dawn that his lasting memory of the job is the cows crying out all day searching for the calves that had been removed from them.[5]
Animal rights activism
He writes that his involvement with the Animal Liberation Front has led to the happiest and saddest times of his life, as well as danger and trauma. "There is something thrilling about this," he writes, "the rush of adrenalin that comes from facing the unknown — alarms, a chase, live animals, dead animals, prison, none or all of it."[6]
He has fallen off buildings and through a roof, jumped through a first-floor window, and swum through a river wearing wellington boots before jumping soaking wet on a bus and begging a free ride. He been shot at, spat on, driven at, and punched, chased by men with spades, and had elephant urine thrown over him by an angry clown. He has been arrested, charged, and convicted for things he writes that he did not do, and has gone without food in prison because he was unwilling to eat animal products.[6]
Mann is considered by the police to be "at the top of the Animal Liberation Front pyramid."[1] He has acted as a spokesman for the group and attracted the support of celebrities such as Carla Lane and Celia Hammond.[7] In 1998, he predicted that someone will die as a consequence of animal experimentation, noting, "we are capable of dealing with anyone; no one has died yet, but that will come."[1]
Early life
He first came into contact with animal rights activists in 1982, when local hunt saboteurs were handing out leaflets in the street. He writes that he was inspired by what he saw as their selflessness. His first removal of an animal from captivity was when he took a rabbit from a hutch that he used to walk past every day, after having asked the owner for weeks to do something about the rabbit's situation. He writes that this incident changed his view of "theft" forever, and that thereafter, he viewed himself as a "proud ALF activist." His next removal was of a tub of goldfish from a fairground, resulting in him having 53 goldfish in his bath for weeks until he found good ponds for them.[4] These acts of "liberation," as Mann sees them, led to others that he says he is unable to confess to.
ALF raids
Harlan Interfauna
Mann was part of this ALF cell that removed 82 beagles and 26 rabbits from Interfauna on St Patrick's Night 1990.[8]
Together with Barry Horne and Danny Attwood, Mann was part of a small ALF cell that raided Harlan Interfauna, a British company in Cambridge that supplies laboratory animals and organs, on March 17, 1990.
The activists entered Interfauna's animal units through holes they punched in the roof, removing 82 beagle puppies and 26 rabbits. They also removed documents listing Interfauna's customers, which included Boots the Chemist, Glaxo, Beechams, and Huntingdon Research Centre, as well as a number of universities. A vet who was an ALF supporter removed the tattoos from the dogs' ears, and they were dispersed to new homes across the UK.
As a result of evidence found at the scene and in one of the activists' homes, Mann and Attwood were convicted of conspiracy to burgle and were sentenced to nine months and 18 months respectively.[8][9]
Wickham Laboratories
Keith Mann and another ALF activist raided Wickham Laboratories in Hampshire removing 695 mice on December 13th 2003.[10]
His next ALF raid, together with an activist who remains unidentified,[10] Mann raided the Wickham research laboratory on 13 December 2003 and removed 695 mice that were being used to test botulinum toxin, sold commercially as Botox and Dysport. He was arrested by detectives at his home whilst cleaning his car and the mice were returned to the laboratory.[11] He argued that the tests were illegal because the product was being tested for cosmetic purposes, which is banned in Britain. The Southern Animal Rights Coalition also received paperwork which they say demonstrates cosmetic Botox was being tested on animals. [12]
A court rejected the claims, ruling that the tests were in compliance with UK regulations because Botox is used for therapeutic purposes to prevent muscle spasms. In April 2005, he was found guilty of burglary and ordered to conduct 230 hours of community service.[13]
On leaving the court, Mann threatened a director of the research company, reportedly telling him, "Your trouble has only just started, you will need to look under your bed."[14] Mann was charged with contempt of court and sentenced to six months in custody, which he served in Winchester Prison.[1]
Other convictions
Mann campaigning against the use of animals in circuses.
Mann was first jailed in 1992 in connection with an attack on the home of a fox hunter. In 1994, he was sentenced to 14 years in jail, reduced to 11 years on appeal, for 21 offences including possession of explosives, incitement, criminal damage, and escape from custody. He had set a number of meat lorries on fire and, after his arrest, escaped from Stretford prison. The sentencing judge justified a lengthy custodial sentence by describing him as a "dangerous and fanatical" man whose tactics "bore all the hallmarks of terrorism."[7]
After his release on October 2005, for the Wickham raid,[15] he continued to protest against animal testing on behalf of Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC), which he has called "the most important campaign" in the animal liberation movement.[16][1]
Since prison
Gateway to Hell Campaign
In 2007, Mann was reported as being involved in the launch of a new campaign called Gateway to Hell, aimed at "targeting airports, ports and freight firms importing animals for experimentation."[17] The National Extremism Tactical Co-ordination Unit believes the group is closely linked with SHAC, as it used similar tactics with attacks launched against the homes of five air transport executives within days of the campaign starting.[18] Describing himself as a spokesman for the campaign, Mann said, "once we have stopped the airports, which we will do before too long, it is going to be difficult for them to find other ways of bringing animals in."[18]
The campaign has claimed a victory[citation needed] from the Northern Animal Rights Network (NARN), who demonstrated at Leeds Bradford International Airport (LIBA). [19] In early January 2007, LIBA announced that it had no future plans to be involved in the export or import of live animals for experimentation.[citation needed]
SPEAK Political
In January 2008, SPEAK Political, the political party set up to speak on behalf of animals, announced that Mann would be standing as a candidate, as well as acting as a spokesperson for the party. On his website, Mann said:
The first phase of this exciting, innovative project seeks to field candidates in election campaigns against vocal animal abusing MP's, with a view to not so much gaining political power, but taking some control of those seeking it. This is not just another political party standing on a lie or calling for improvements in animal torture techniques, but about each and every one of us using the corrupted system to our advantage to speak for the animals. This has the potential to be a major step forward and key to the success of our advancement into the political arena.[20]
Writing
Mann's first book was published in May 2007. From Dusk 'til Dawn, with a foreword by British poet Benjamin Zephaniah and featuring Britches on its cover, offers a behind-the-scenes account of the animal liberation movement. [21]
See also
- Southern Animal Rights Coalition (SARC)
- Animal Liberation Front (ALF)
- Barry Horne
- Behind the Mask
- Veganism
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f Laville, Sandra. "ALF extremist stands by call to flames", The Guardian, June 25, 2005.
- ^ Zephaniah, Benjamin, foreword, in Mann, Keith. From Dusk 'til Dawn: An insider's view of the growth of the Animal Liberation Movement,, Puppy Pincher Press, 2007.
- ^ Khan, Ali Yousaf. "Angels of Mercy", Channel 4, June 24, 2006.
- ^ a b Mann, Keith. From Dusk 'til Dawn: An insider's view of the growth of the Animal Liberation Movement,, Puppy Pincher Press, 2007, p. 13.
- ^ Mann, Keith. From Dusk 'til Dawn: An insider's view of the growth of the Animal Liberation Movement,. Puppy Pincher Press, 2007, p. 186.
- ^ a b Mann, Keith. From Dusk 'til Dawn: An insider's view of the growth of the Animal Liberation Movement,. Puppy Pincher Press, 2007, p. 14.
- ^ a b Bennetto, Jason. Animal rights activist jailed after threatening scientist, The Independent, April 30, 2005
- ^ a b "The man, the activist", first published in Arkangel.
- ^ Mann, Keith. From Dusk 'til Dawn: An insider's view of the growth of the Animal Liberation Movement,. Puppy Pincher Press, 2007, pp. 267-275.
- ^ a b Mann, Keith. From Dusk 'til Dawn: An insider's view of the growth of the Animal Liberation Movement. Puppy Pincher Press, 2007, p. 625.
- ^ Mann, Keith. From Dusk 'Til Dawn. Puppy Pincher Press, 2007, p. 630.
- ^ "Stop the botox horror", Southern Animal Rights Coalition, accessed November 8, 2007.
- ^ "Animal protester jailed after court threat", Portsmouth Today, 30 April, 2005.
- ^ Bowcott, Owen. "Veteran animal rights activist jailed after threat in court", The Guardian, April 30, 2005.
- ^ Prisoner: Keith Mann, Bite Back, October 31st 2005.
- ^ "No Apologies! No Compromises! No Prisoners!" Abolitionist Online, retrieved November 15, 2007.
- ^ Fielding, Nick and Walsh, Gareth. "Vegan bodybuilder funds animal extremists", The Sunday Times, 15 March, 2007.
- ^ a b Fielding, Nick and Walsh, Gareth. Airports are new target of animal groups, The Sunday Times, 27 February, 2005
- ^ LBIA Say 'No' to Lab Animal Exports, Northern Animal Rights Network, 2nd January 2007.
- ^ Keith's View, From Dusk 'til Dawn website, 23rd January 2007.
- ^ About The Book, From Dusk 'til Dawn.
External links
- Keith Mann's website
- About Keith, From Dusk 'til Dawn website
- Live Animal Exports—A Truly English Objection, From Dusk 'til Dawn, Keith Mann (2007)
Videos
- Keith Mann Speech at SHAC March, Western Animal Rights Network (WARN), 6-minute video on YouTube, 2007.
- An Interview with Keith Mann: Part 1, 8-minute video via You Tube, 2007.
- Angels of Mercy, Channel 4 documentary, June 24, 2006.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Mann
Thank you for all, Keith.
Thank you for THEM.
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Les Etats-Unis élaborent des méthodes de tests scientifiques non animales
Les Etats-Unis seraient sur le point d’abandonner les méthodes de tests scientifiques pratiqués sur les animaux pour se focaliser sur des méthodes informatiques ou sur des cellules, moins coûteuses et beaucoup plus rapides.
Les laboratoires du gouvernement des Etats-Unis commenceront à utiliser des méthodes de tests non animales telles que les modèles informatiques pour tester les produits chimiques, les médicaments et les toxines ou les tests réalisés sur des cellules, d’après les déclarations de représentants du gouvernement jeudi.
Ainsi, les laboratoires du gouvernement des Etats-Unis ne devraient plus tester ce genre de produits sur des animaux pour s’assurer de leur sécurité.
Les nouvelles méthodes seront plus rapides et devraient même être plus précises et bien moins coûteuses, d’après les déclarations de deux instituts nationaux de Santé et de l’Agence pour la Protection de l’Environnement (EPA).
L’Institut National pour les Sciences de la Santé et l’Institut National de Recherche sur le Génome Humain, qui font tout deux partie de l’Institut National de la Santé, ont déclaré qu’ils travailleraient avec l’EPA pour s’assurer que les nouvelles méthodes de tests soient plus précises avant d’étendre le programme.
Les tests sur les animaux sont depuis longtemps la colonne vertébrale de la recherche scientifique mais le directeur de l’Institut National sur le Génome Humain, le Dr. Francis Collins, a déclaré qu’ils ne permettaient pas de savoir précisément les effets d’un produit chimique sur un être humain.
« C’est une méthode lente et coûteuse », a déclaré Francis Collins. « Nous ne sommes pas des rats et nous ne sommes pas des primates », a-t-il ajouté.
« Après tout, ce que nous cherchons à savoir, c’est si ce composé endommage les cellules. Pourrions-nous, au lieu de faire une étude sur l’ensemble de l’animal, étudier les cellules provenant de différents organes ? », a-t-il déclaré.
Les nouveaux tests seront d'abord utilisés comme une contre-vérification des tests de toxines connues. « Nous avons besoin de comprendre exactement quelle corrélation il y aura entre les tests sur animaux et cette nouvelle approche sur les cellules », a indiqué Francis Collins.
« Nous ne pouvons pas abandonner les tests sur animaux du jour au lendemain », a ajouté le directeur de l’Institut National de Santé, le Dr. Elias Zerhouni.
Par ailleurs le directeur de l’Institut National pour les Sciences de la Santé, le Dr. Samuel Wilson a déclaré que les laboratoires informatiques pouvaient désormais utiliser des méthodes non animales pour tester 10000 composés selon plus 15 concentrations en deux jours.
« Une personne aurait dû travailler huit heures par jour, sept jours par semaine pendant six mois pour faire cela. C’est une méthode beaucoup plus rapide », a indiqué Samuel Wilson.
L’Institut National de Santé et l’EPA ont indiqué dans le journal Science qu’entre 10 et 100 tests pouvaient être réalisés en un an en utilisant des rongeurs vivants tels que les rats et les souris. Les tests peuvent être réalisés beaucoup plus rapidement en utilisant des animaux alternatifs tels que les poissons.
Mais plus de 10000 tests peuvent être réalisés chaque jour en utilisant des cellules spécialisées ou des ordinateurs de laboratoire.
http://www.actualites-news-environnement.com/14729-methodes-tests-Etats-Unis.html