Remembering George - Oxford City Demo report, Saturday 9th September

The week of action to remember George concluded with a demonstration outside the offices of ISIS Innovations in Summertown, just outside Oxford City. ISIS are a subsidiary of Oxford University set up in order to make as much money for the university as possible from the various types of research projects being carried out by Oxford University researchers - this undoubtedly includes work using non human animals.

George was abused, as thousands of others like him have been abused by Oxford University researchers because it is financially expedient to do so; just as it was financially expedient to have trials of the drug Vioxx tested on human patients, even though Oxford professors involved in the drug trial would have been fully aware of the deaths caused by the drug in the US. As they say, money talks and whether you’re an unsuspecting human patient or a non human animal, liked George, the simple truth is, you're expendable.

So it was fitting that the 'Remember George' week finished with over 150 people descending on ISIS Innovation, a company that brings in millions to the coffers of Oxford University. Summertown is one of the main areas where the academics of Oxford University live and as SPEAK has maintained from the very beginning of its campaign: just because you might not be abusing animals doesn’t mean compassionate individuals can't make a stand against the vivisectors. Everyone has a role to play in stopping the Oxford Animal Lab.

For almost 3 hours SPEAK supporters kept up a constant chant in this busy shopping parade, which is also a major transport route into Oxford. The determination shown by activists can’t have gone unnoticed by Oxford University. It was also a great opportunity for campaigners to get over to the public the truth about Oxford University and the terrible deeds being perpetrated on sentient creatures by university vivisectors. Many responded to the demonstration by hooting their car horns as they passed or coming up to campaigners and wishing them the best of luck in defeating Oxford University’s plans at increasing their vivisection capabilities.

Whilst the demonstration was taking place in Summertown, 20 people were leafleting in the centre of Oxford, distributing George leaflets to local people and tourists alike. Oxford University has always been keen on propagating a false image of itself, but behind the dreamy spires lies a rotten core - a place where both people, such as the 2000 people killed in the Vioxx trials and George, who is a symbol for the thousands of animals that are imprisoned, tortured and finally killed by university professors, are nothing more than a means to an end - the end being financial!

Despite the best attempts by Oxford University to silence us by seeking injunctions in order to try and muzzle us they have failed miserably and we continue to SPEAK out and fight for the voiceless, whether they be the human or non human victims of Oxford University.

This week of actions for George has come to an end, but we will always remember this poor innocent creature, stolen from his homeland, blinded by an Oxford University professor, ridiculed by the same professor before perversely being granted an end to his suffering by being killed. Please remember George, remember his suffering and remember where his suffering took place.

George's memory lives on - he won’t be forgotten. He lives on in everyone who is fighting for the rights of animals and his memory will spur SPEAK on to finally bring to an end the fraudulent and barbaric practice that is vivisection.