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Animal Rising threatens ‘the possibility of disruption’ at Royal Ascot
The BHA said it would not be “coerced into any activity by threats of protests” after Animal Rising threatened more acts of disruption at Royal Ascot next week.
At a press conference on Wednesday, three representatives of the protest group said it would not disrupt the royal meeting if racing’s leaders agreed to a televised debate.
Addressing four journalists in a small, vegan restaurant in north London, the group also said it intends to stop the Greyhound Derby final at Towcester on July 1.
“At a press conference today, Animal Rising said they will cease their protest activity this summer if British racing agrees to take part in a public debate about “the morals of horseracing”. We will never allow British horseracing to be coerced into any activity by threats of protests,” said BHA chief executive Julie Harrington.
One protester accessed the track during this month’s Derby, which followed disruptive protests at the Grand National, Scottish Grand National and at Doncaster.
This followed repeated assurances from Animal Rising that individuals would only attempt to disrupt the Classic before it began, not while it was under way.
“Animal Rising has shown by their reckless actions at the Epsom Derby that their public promises cannot be trusted,” added Harrington.
“It has demonstrated that it is prepared to commit potentially unlawful acts and to directly threaten the safety of horses and people to generate publicity around their wider aims. These aims include the end of all use of animals by human beings.
Julie Harrington: actions at the Epsom Derby showed that Animal Rising “cannot be trusted”
“Spokespeople for the sport have already taken part in well over an hour of televised debate since April. Throughout those debates the message was clear – that British racing is a sport which is proud of its welfare record, which provides an unparalleled quality of life for the 20,000 horses that compete each year, and which constantly works to minimise the levels of avoidable risk.
“Once again I call on Animal Rising to end their reckless acts against a sport legally enjoyed by millions of people every year.”
Coffee and cake were provided at the press conference and, after outlining its plans for Royal Ascot and the Greyhound Derby final, the group expressed its intention to “liberate” more animals, following on from the removal of three sheep from the King’s Sandringham Estate last month.
Animal Rising claims that in addition to protecting the animals involved in sport and agriculture, it hopes to spark a wider conversation about our “broken relationship” with animals.
“Disruption is only half of direct action, the other half is dialogue,” said the group’s Louisa Hillwood. “Before the Derby, we reached out to the BHA and the Jockey Club to have discussions about what we intended to do.
“Our position with Ascot is that we’ve reached out to start dialogue with them and call on them to accept a televised debate with Animal Rising and until then we will not rule out the possibility of disruption. If the racing industry really believes in what it is doing, it should have no concerns about defending it publicly.”
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