Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Wednesday, Jan 15, 2025

Grand National: Police to deal 'robustly' with any protest

Grand National: Police to deal 'robustly' with any protest

Police have said they will deal "robustly" with any disruption after a newspaper report about an alleged plot to stop the Grand National.

A Mail on Sunday investigation said the Animal Rebellion group was aiming to "storm security fences" before the main race in Liverpool on 15 April.

They claimed protestors plan to form a barricade across Aintree Racecourse.

Animal Rebellion said they were launching their "biggest campaign" this April.

In a statement, Rose Patterson, from the group, said the Mail investigation was "not going to stop" members from "beginning the crucial conversation about our broken relationship with other animals".

"The Grand National is symbolic of this broken relationship," she added.


'Peaceful action'


Two horses died in last year's Grand National race, which is the climax of the annual three-day racing festival at Aintree.

There have been four fatalities from 356 runners in the nine Grand Nationals raced since safety changes were introduced in 2012.

Animal Rebellion, which calls for an end to horse racing, said: "This April we are launching the biggest campaign to protect animals and the climate this country has ever seen."

They said more than 500 people had "signed up for training to take peaceful action this summer".

In a statement, Merseyside Police said: "We respect the right to peaceful protest and expression of views, but public order or criminal offences will not be tolerated and will be dealt with robustly."

They added they had been working with The Jockey Club "for a number of months… to ensure that any necessary plans and processes are in place to deal with any incidents that may arise".

Race organisers at The Jockey Club have declined to comment.

Sam Waley-Cohen on Noble Yeats (right) won the 2022 Grand National


Animal Rebellion has risen to prominence in recent months after protests at high-end restaurants, dairy suppliers and laboratories.

They say they want a "plant-based future" and have called for an end to horse racing, animal farming and fishing.

The Mail investigation said more than 100 people have signed up to the attempt to disrupt the Grand National and some activists had conducted two reconnaissance missions around the racecourse.

They claimed the group planned to use ladders to get over the security barrier and to cut through the fence before the main race at the end of the three-day festival.

A key event in the national sporting calendar, the Grand National attracted a peak of 7.5 million viewers in the UK and more than 12 million bets last year.

There have been small protests outside the course regularly and occasionally individuals have got on the track itself.

In 1993, the Grand National was delayed after an animal rights protest, with the race eventually voided after a number of false starts.

The race was postponed in 1997 when 60,000 people had to evacuate the course following an IRA bomb threat minutes before the start.

It was eventually held two days later.

This year's event coincides with the 34th anniversary of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, which led to the deaths of 97 football fans after a crush at a game between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Sheffield Wednesday's ground.

Race organisers said they plan to hold a commemoration for the victims at the course on the day of the Grand National.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Spain Proposes 100% Tax on Properties Purchased by Non-EU Residents
Rising Casualties and Intense Diplomacy: The Conflict in Gaza Continues
Joseph Aoun Elected as Lebanon's New President: Ending a Prolonged Power Vacuum
Joseph Aoun Elected Lebanon’s 14th President Amid Political Stalemate
Trump Signals Shake-Up at the Pentagon Amid Transition Concerns
U.S. Supreme Court Denies Trump's Last-Minute Bid to Block Sentencing in New York
Escalating Conflict in Gaza: Casualties Surge as Diplomatic Efforts Continue
Escalation in West Bank: Israeli Boy Killed in Palestinian Gun Attack
U.S. Supreme Court Denies Trump's Appeal to Delay Sentencing in New York Hush Money Case
Lancet Study Reveals Underestimation of Gaza War Death Toll by 40 Percent
Global Acclaim Follows Election of Lebanon's New President Joseph Aoun
Saudi Leaders Extend Congratulations to Joseph Aoun, New President of Lebanon
UN Accuses Israel of Restricting Humanitarian Aid in Northern Gaza
US Pledges $500 Million Military Aid Package to Ukraine
Ethiopia Endures a Series of Earthquakes in Brief Timespan
Joseph Aoun: Lebanon's Fourteenth President Amid a Legacy of Challenges
President Biden Reports Meaningful Progress on Gaza Agreement
Lancet Study Reveals Higher Gaza Death Toll than Official Reports
Global and Arab Welcome for Joseph Aoun's Election as Lebanon's President
Biden Cites 'Real Progress' in Gaza Deal Talks Amid Intense Negotiation Efforts
Escalation in Gaza: Casualties Rise Amidst Ongoing Negotiations
Escalating Conflict in Gaza: Casualties Surge as Negotiations Continue
Quaker Group Cancels NYT Ad Over Dispute on Gaza Terminology
IDF Imposes Media Restraints Amid Legal Concerns For Soldiers
Trump's Counter-terrorism Nominee Urges UK to Repatriate British IS Members from Syria
Uncovering Iraq's Mass Graves: A Haunting Search for the Missing
Kurdish Commander Appeals to Trump for Continued U.S. Military Presence in Syria
Global Powers Call for Stabilization Efforts in Syria Amid Transition
Syria at a Crossroads: The Unceremonious Collapse of the Assad Regime
Trump's Syria Conundrum: Staying Out May Be Easier Said Than Done
Syrian Rebel Leader Pledges to Dismantle Assad's Notorious Prisons
Escalation in Gaza: Increased Casualties Amid Ongoing Conflict
Dissecting Luxury: A Study of American Society in the Digital Age
Escalating Violence in Gaza as Ceasefire Negotiations Intensify
US Eases Missile Technology Export Regulations for Key Allies
Escalation in Gaza Conflict: Fatal Strikes and Escalation in the West Bank
Gaza Cola: A Palestinian Initiative Aimed at Rebuilding Amidst Conflict
Poland Shuts Consulate in Saint Petersburg Amid Rising Diplomatic Tensions
Miracle at Sea: Baby Born on Migrant Vessel Rescued by Spanish Coast Guard
Saudi Crown Prince Engages in Diplomatic Dialogue with Ukraine’s Zelensky
Israeli Military Recovers Body of Hostage in Gaza, Evidence Suggests Son Also Killed
Explosion at Ammunition Depot Rocks Syria's Idlib Region
Saudi Arabia Battling Unprecedented Floods Amid Torrential Rains
Cease-fire Negotiations in Qatar: No Timeline for Resolution
UN Seeks Additional $371.4 Million for Lebanon Amidst Ongoing Crisis
Saudi Arabia Continues Aid Bridge to Syria Amid Ongoing Crisis
Israel Declares West Bank a 'Primary Arena' of Threats Amid Escalating Conflict
U.S. Sanctions Shake Sudan's Political Landscape Amid Ongoing Conflict
Israeli Military Recovers Body of Hostage from Gaza
Violence Escalates as Al-Qaeda Militants Clash with Malian Army
×