RMC Annual General Meeting disrupted

On the 29th of April we attended the demonstration outside the hotel where RMC, the constructors of the Oxford labs, were holding their annual general meeting. Two of us managed to pass the police and the security controls and make our way to the meeting itself. We thought it was best if we first listen for a while to what they had to say and then do our speech about their investment in torture. There was some boring and incomprehensible bits about their finances, but the general point is that they are not doing that good and share prices have been going down.

Then it came the time for the shareholders to ask questions and to our surprise we found there was people among them with some moral concerns. First someone raised the case about RMC's investments in the Israeli settlements in the occupied land of Palestine and in building the wall between Israel and Palestine. This question was given a vague reply and it was confirmed that they are actually involved in the building of the wall, but "only" on a 3% section of it.

Another share holder express his disapproval about the salary raise given to the directors of the company when profits in general have not been good.

Then two women sitting next to us spoke about an ongoing campaign they are carrying in Rugby town because RMC cement factory is polluting the air and creating a health risk in the area. They denied the accusation and stated that they have very good environmental policies, which the campaigner from Rugby found outrageous.

Then it was our turn. My friend had the microphone handed to her and off she went. She asked why are they investing in vivisection when it has been proved, time and time again, that it is a cruel and unreliable practice. They replied that their dealing with Oxford University are legal and therefore they could not see any reason not to continue. We were then able to summarise all the points made and assert that RMC are a company with no morals for human rights in Israel and Palestine, no morals for the environment in this country and no morals for the animals that are going to be used in the Oxford University Labs.

We made our way out shouting and handing out leaflets from Speak. Pressure on this company has to continue, they are now aware of what it is they are involved with and it is obvious they cannot care less for these animals.

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