A controversial amendment to the law means peaceful protest near sites of animal experimentation could become a criminal offence. Here's how you can help stop this.
Yesterday, MPs in the House of Commons voted 301 to 110 in favour of a controversial amendment to the Public Order Act 2023 – reclassifying “life sciences infrastructure” (including animal testing facilities) as “key national infrastructure”.
Under the new definition, peaceful protest or even planning to protest near these sites could become a criminal offence, carrying up to 12 months in prison.
Why this matters
Animal Aid has always fought for transparency and accountability in animal experimentation. This amendment would silence those who speak out against cruelty and undermine a fundamental democratic right: the freedom to protest.
Our democratic right at risk
This isn’t just about restricting protest – it’s about shielding animal cruelty from public scrutiny. If this amendment passes, it will make it harder than ever to challenge practices that cause pain and distress to animals. They will suffer in silence, and those who fight for them will be silenced too.
Animal Aid has been protesting against experiments on animals since 1980
The House of Lords can still stop this
The amendment still needs approval from the House of Lords on 21st January. This is where your voice matters. Together, we have a chance to protect both animals and democratic freedoms, so that we can continue our fight for animal freedom and ensure that those who speak out against cruelty are never silenced.
Our friends at Naturewatch have made it easy to contact a member of the House of Lords and urge them to reject this amendment. Write to a member of the Lords today and and make your voice heard.
