Animal rights group claims responsibility for arson attack at Highgate Farm
A MILITANT animal rights group has claimed responsibility for an arson attack at a rabbit farm in Lincolnshire.
It is understood that police are looking closely at the chilling claim after a white Mercedes Sprinter van was set on fire at the premises in Normanby-by-Spital, near Market Rasen.
Firefighters attended the blaze in yard at Highgate Farm at about 2.20am on Monday.
The farm, which supplies rabbits to Huntingdon Life Sciences' Cambridgeshire lab, has been the targeted by animal rights extremists twice before.
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Now it appears a group called Militant Forces Against Huntingdon Life Sciences (MFAH) says the attack was its handiwork.
According to the website of the Austrian Times, the Austrian branch of MFAH last year admitted torching a Tyrolean hunting lodge, the owner of which has connections with Huntingdon Life Sciences.
Bite Back magazine, based in West Palm Beach, Florida, USA, which publishes news of animal rights direct action, say it has received an anonymous claim of responsibility for the incident at Highgate Farm, apparently from MFAH.
"In the early hours of Monday, July 19, Highgate Farm in Lincolnshire, UK, was visited and information was gathered to be used in the future against this lab animal breeder," the disturbing and offensive statement, which appears on the magazine's website, says.
"But before leaving we wanted to make sure that Geoffrey Douglas, the owner of the farm, was left under no illusion to what we think, and to remind him that we're not bothered by his noisy alarm system or his security lights – thanks, it helped us see where your delivery vans were.
"We lit up the night sky in our own way as flames engulfed the vehicles.
"You are quite isolated on Highgate Lane and we're sure to return and leave more messages until you do the right thing and pull out once and for all.
"This is just a little warning. If we have to come back again the next time we will not be so nice. You only have one choice, make it soon. For the animals we will fight. MFAH."
Mr Douglas stressed he ran a legitimate business, the activity of which is regulated by the Home Office.
"Most of our animals go for the development of vaccines for animals and people," he said.
"This includes the development of flu vaccines around the world. We consider we do a very important job for the NHS. As far as we are concerned, we are helping to save tens of thousands of lives."
Anyone with any information on the arson, should call police on 0300 111 0300.
Comments
by Beckyb13
Monday, August 13 2012, 7:58PM
“dhshsh”
by jayjay, yorkshire
Wednesday, August 11 2010, 8:07AM
“these people are absolute idiots, would they refuse medical treatment if they were ill, would they refuse the child serious medical treatment if they were ill?? they need to go out and get a job and leave these people alone to do the good work they have to do. If there were alternatives they would be done but there arent any. people who work at the farm are saving peoples lives with there assistance in the line of medical testing, and without people like these there would be alot more deaths in the country.”
by jj, yorkshire
Wednesday, August 11 2010, 8:04AM
“The idiots that did this would be the first in the que if they were ill demanding treatment, how would you feel if your kids were ill and wanted treatment, would you sit and say no thanks its been tested on animals??, your absolute idiots, you need to go out and get a job and let people get on with the good work they are doing saving peoples lives.”
by Rebecca Brooke IIHHT, Manchester
Sunday, July 25 2010, 9:30PM
“As a Vegan and lifelong animal advocate (when I use the term animal please remember this includes human animals) I am opposed to unnecessary cruelty which vivisection - if you know your facts - unarguably is, but I feel the movement is being hindered by people who feel the need to make this a war of, at best, quick wins and the solidifying of a terrorist stigma that is so gleefully tarred and feathered on us by those with vested interests. I cannot condone violence against any type of animal from human animals - we have evolved a sense or morality that leads us to the question 'just because we can does this mean we should' but too often we choose the former with our blinkers firmly in place.”
by steve, lincoln
Sunday, July 25 2010, 10:28AM
“tree hugging lunatics. They should use the full force of anti terrorism law and lock them up for 25 years.
I bet if the farmer had emptied both barrels of a shotgun at them, he'd be getting banged up and they'd be crying foul.”
by Bugs Bunny, Warren Street
Friday, July 23 2010, 10:48PM
“I hope none of my relatives were in the van when it was arsoned! That would be ironic!”
by Bugs Bunny, Warren Street
Friday, July 23 2010, 10:46PM
“Lets hope there weren't any bunnies in the van when it was torched. That would be ironic!”
by Will, The Shire
Friday, July 23 2010, 2:05PM
“I hope Mr Douglas has a shotgun and feels threatened by the intruders.”
by lynn, lincoln
Friday, July 23 2010, 10:51AM
“If Mr Douglas throws in the towel in the face of these threats, someone else will pick it up and carry on with this type of business.
The MFAH are just p...ing in the wind.”
by bill, lincoln
Friday, July 23 2010, 9:28AM
“Oh, the irony Mr Hunt !”