Kent Police dramatically increased their presence at last nights (23 August) anti-live animal exports demonstration. About 100 police officers faced a similar number of campaigners at the Nethercourt roundabout. At about 9pm six tightly packed lorries carrying at least 2,500 sheep drove around the roundabout and onto the Ramsgate Port approach road. Unlike previous demonstrations the police formed a cordon between the lorries and the campaigners, preventing people from blocking the road and holding up the lorries. Former Thanet Councillor and co-founder of the campaign against live animal exports, Ian Driver, said “the police have changed their tactics tonight and flooded the demonstration with more officers than I ever seen before at great public expense. But this will not stop us from continuing
to protest against this appalling and cruel trade. I and many others have been campaigning against live exports from Ramsgate for more than 5 years and I will continue to do so until it is stopped. Every time there is a shipment we are joined by new people who want to stand up for what is right, especially young people. Kent Polices’ deployment of a 100 officers will not intimidate us or stop us from exercising our democratic right to protest against an evil trade. If you care about animal welfare come and join us”.
A truly disgusting trade, those animals had been in those hot vans for at least 12 hours !
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