SARC MAKE HEADLINES WITH PORT PROTEST!! Articles / Misc Posted by SARC on Oct 19, 2009 - 08:01 PM |
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19.10.09 Today the Live Exports protest at the Port on Saturday was covered in Portsmouth News, we were given over half a page and large picture of the protest was also published. It is a very positive article and also features a picture of Mike Hancock. We couldn't have hoped for better coverage! Here is the article in full: "Protesters at port call for ban on live exports:  [1]Animal rights campaigners mounted a protest against attempts to start live animal exporting through Portsmouth. The group stood at the city's Commercial Ferry Port for two hours with placards and a big banner with the words 'ban live exports'. The demonstration was held on Saturday in the hope of stopping animals being exported from Portsmouth to be slaughtered abroad. It was organised by the Southern Animal Rights Coalition (SARC), but protesters from other groups travelled from across the south east to join the demonstration. The protesters believe exporting live animals is inhumane due to conditions on the boats, and they fear the practice may be starting from the port, which is owned by Portsmouth City Council. Sarah Collins, 23, SARC campaigner, said: 'We've had some information that there are plans to do live exports from Portsmouth, and we wanted to come down and show that there is a lot of strong opposition to this.' 'The animals usually arrive at the slaughterhouse dehydrated and gasping for air. 'I believe Portsmouth City Council should be concerned about animal welfare and do what it can to prevent this barbaric trade from taking place.' Mike Hancock, Lib Dem MP for Portsmouth South, met the protesters and voiced his views on the subject. He told The News that a company had expressed an interest in exporting live animals from Portsmouth, but it was 'highly unlikely' that a deal would be struck. 'I think it's a very inhumane – transporting live animals over long distances is just not acceptable at all,' he said. 'I'm totally against it and have been campaigning against the practice for 30 years. 'There has been an approach by a company but I think it's highly unlikely because they don't want to meet the costs and pay the premiums to use the port.' Laura Zobel, spokeswoman for the port, released a statement, which says: 'Portsmouth Commercial Port and its owner, Portsmouth City Council, do not support the practice of live animal exports through the port. 'The port's policy to oppose such exports remains unchanged, however, it is not within the port's legal power to prohibit them. 'As such, any requests from customers to undertake live animal exports have to be given due consideration." - This is a really positive article and SARC are really pleased with the coverage that Portsmouth News have given this important issue. It certainly helped having the support of Mike Hancock, we are very lucky to have him as our local MP. We will now wait and see what the outcome of all this is, hopefully it's a good one! |
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This article is from SARC http://sarconline.co.uk/ The URL for this story is: http://sarconline.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=543 Links in this article [1] http://s788.photobucket.com/albums/yy164/purplemonkey555/?action=view¤t=PortProtest.jpg |
