Police arrest 87 animal rights activists

Bayer is the latest company to come under siege from protesters

LONDON, England -- British police have arrested 87 animal rights' campaigners following violent demonstrations outside two pharmaceutical companies.

The protesters gathered on Sunday at nine locations around Britain, including the London-area offices of pharmaceutical giants GlaxoSmithKline and German chemicals and drugs giant Bayer.

About 100 demonstrators, many dressed in black clothing and ski masks, "smashed ground-floor windows, upturned cabinets and destroyed machinery" at the Bayer offices in Stoke Poges, just west of the capital, a police spokeswoman said.

At the GlaxoSmithKline facilities in Slough, another 150 activists smashed windows with bricks and damaged offices, a Surrey police spokeswoman said.

The activists are being held at various police stations on suspicion of burglary and intent to commit criminal damage.

Assistant Chief Constable Steve Love, who was in charge of Sunday's operation, warned campaigners against breaking the law.

"There will be a major investigation and we will do everything necessary to bring charges against those involved," he said.

The group -- Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) -- said it had organized 1,000 demonstrators to protest at nine locations -- including three business executives' homes -- that it claims have direct dealings with Huntingdon Life Sciences, a British pharmaceutical testing company.

Bayer is the latest company to come under siege from protesters.

Huntingdon Life Sciences came close to collapse in January under pressure from activists but was rescued by a U.S.-based firm.

The pharmaceutical industry rallied behind Huntingdon, worried that if protesters manage to close it down they will move on to other firms doing the same type of research.

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry estimates some 2.6 million animals are used in tests each year -- 85 percent of them rats and mice.

The number of animals used in drug development has fallen by nearly half in the past 20 years.

Earlier this month British police said they suspected animal rights activists were behind 10 letter bomb attacks on shops and small businesses.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Animal testing lab saved from closure
January 20, 2001
Protesters call for end to Macy's fur sales
November 24, 2000

British Government: Office of Science and Technology
Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry

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