Animal demo

7:43am Monday 26th March 2007

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ALMOST 100 protesters demonstrated about animal rights in the city on Saturday.

Campaigners waving placards and photographs of Felix, a monkey used in experiments, in a cage gathered at Martyrs' Memorial and later dispersed in groups to various parts of the city to broadcast their 'Fighting for Felix' campaign.

The activists want to see an end to experiments on animals and are calling for work to be halted on the new animal laboratory in South Parks Road.

The memorial was cloaked in banners and photos - Fight for Felix victim of Oxford University extremism, Stop the animal labs and Stop the Monkey Death Camp.

Amanda Richards, a member of campaign group Speak, said there was growing concern about the increasing use of animals for medical experiments.

She said: "Experiments are being carried out on Felix at Oxford University. These experiments cause severe and substantial suffering and must be stopped. Hideous experiments are being carried on Felix's brain. He is kept in a cramped cage, deprived of many essentials. It's absolutely outrageous."

Felix was featured in a BBC2 documentary programme last November called Monkeys, Rats and Me. His supporters say he will endure years of suffering and will remain imprisoned for years before being put to death. The Home Office granted a licence to Oxford University to carry out experiments as part of the continuing medical research in the hope of finding a cure for diseases such as Parkinsons and Alzheimers.