Protest over ape research grant

ZOETERMEER, Netherlands (Reuters) -- Animal rights activists demonstrated outside the Dutch Education Ministry on Wednesday against a government plan to give 15 million guilders ($5.7 million) to a centre which uses apes for medical research.

"The Netherlands would be offending every animal rights group in the world if they gave this money," said one of the demonstrators, Toni Vernelli.

She said around 60 demonstrators from several nations had turned up to demand a meeting with either Education Minister Loek Hermans or another senior official.

Ministry spokeswoman Diana Klaver, who put the number of protestors at 30, confirmed the ministry's intention to give the grant to the Biomedical Primate Research Centre (BPRC) near the Hague.

Vernelli said the BPRC was the last place in Europe still using chimpanzees for research. Britain had recently closed a similar centre while proposals to set up others in France and Spain had been rejected.

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Conference calls for U.S. government protection of animal rights
July 3, 2000

Biomedical Primate Research Centre
Dutch Ministry of Education
PETA - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

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