Animal testing to be designated Key Infrastructure

Government wants to add ‘Life Sciences’ to the list created to repress climate protest

~ Nathan McGovern ~

Whether it’s blocking roads, destroying Israel-bound weapons, or rescuing puppies from animal testing, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Parliament and the Courts are out to get you. The 2020’s have been a story of repeated anti-protest legislation, ping-ponging between the Houses of Commons and Lords, until painfully becoming law

If anybody thought this would come to an end when a Labour supermajority swept into power in 2024, they couldn’t have been more wrong. Now, the Government is attempting to further bolster the Public Order Act 2023 by adding Life Sciences to its list of Key National Infrastructure, threatening a year in prison and unlimited fines on those who disrupt live experimentation on animals.

The Conservative Government’s Police, Crimes, Sentencing, and Courts Bill presented to the Commons in 2021 started with 70 pages of reforms dealing with violent and sexual crimes, then swerved to a full-frontal assault on freedom of expression, assembly, and action.

While the Lords rejected many of these measures, the Bill became law in 2022 and police powers suddenly expanded beyond comprehension. The sentencing for anyone convicted of causing a public nuisance jumped to a maximum of 10 years imprisonment.

The Public Order Bill, presented in 2022’s Queen’s Speech, essentially repackaged and built on just those aspects of the PCSC Bill that were rejected by the Lords, and by the time it became law in 2023 the Public Order Act criminalised “locking-on,” introduced “Serious Disruption Prevention Orders,” and formalised a list of — seemingly sacred — Key National Infrastructures.

Directly targeting Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil, this list included motorways, the fossil fuel industry, and the print media.

Labour’s current attempt to expand this to Life Sciences (read: animal testing) is a direct response to successful animal liberation actions, in in particular at MBR Acres, previously known as Interfauna. This is a facility that breeds thousands of beagle puppies yearly for use in toxicology and other testing.

In 2022, on two separate occasions, Animal Rising successfully rescued puppies from the site; a total of 23 dogs were saved, and 20 people subsequently charged with burglary. In the first of five jury trials for these actions the verdict was ‘guilty’, but in the second which has just ended it was ‘not guilty’.

It hasn’t been easy for the Government. Their attempt to smuggle change through secondary legislation has failed, and the decision will ultimately go to a full vote in the Commons tomorrow. Many MPs from all parties have indicated they intend to vote no.

Nathan McGovern is Beagle Rescue Campaign Lead at Animal Rising

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