SPEAK campaigns deputation hand over demands for the release of the 'Oxford Two'

A small deputation today went to Oxford to hand over a document to the University calling for the release of the 'Oxford Two'. On arrival in South Parks Rd (construction site of the new Oxford animal abuse lab), nervous looking security men from the University's own security service kept appearing out of the Department of Experimental Psychology to look at the three women who made up the deputation.

As the SPEAK delegation approached the entrance to the Department of Experimental Psychology a suited and apprehensive-looking university official clutching a brown envelope made it clear he was the reception committee. A brief exchange followed as the SPEAK activists asked to be allowed entry to the 'notorious' dept of Experimental Psychology to hand over the demands to the head of department in person.

At this point we were joined by a member of the 'elite' Oxford University security staff carrying a camera with a large telephoto lens and an ego to match. Further security staff peered from behind the doors of the animal torture lab and it was clear they have plenty to hide and even more to be ashamed of. The university rep suggested we exchange documents by the roadside, clearly nervous of any pictures showing the Dept of Experimental Psychology as a backdrop.

He received our demands and handed a brown envelope back, he then quickly joined the Oxford University security service and two other suited men in a conspiratorial huddle. The SPEAK delegation walked to the doors of the lab and unfurled a banner for our own press call, the security guards inside gave their best impression of intelligent curiosity.The whole event lasted less than ten minutes but it represented 15 years of suffering and deprivation for the Oxford Two and all the animals captive in the Department of Experimental Psychology and those sentient beings that would be the future victims of scientific fraud should the new lab ever get built.

In a new twist to this whole sorry saga Oxford University are claiming that the two monkeys in question have been destroyed following the experiments carried out on them. SPEAK at this point do not believe such claims. The University have lied time and again as to the real purpose of the new centre being built in South Parks Road. When SPEAK first began its campaign against the University, they said that the centre was to be a holding unit for animals, eventually after pressure from SPEAK and information that we had received from the very highest level at the University they finally told the truth, well at least part of it, that this centre, was indeed to be used for research and that their former statement was due to a "misunderstanding," although this "misunderstanding had dragged on for several weeks?

Lie after Lie, if people are prepared to inflict torture and ultimately death on innnocent animals, they are certainly prepared to lie about it. SPEAK will not rest until both the sick project in South Parks Road is halted and we will not rest until the truth as to the fate of the 'Oxford Two' is known.

A sanctuary in Wales has agreed to take the two monkeys so that they can live out their lives in relative freedom without the fear of pain, never again having to cower in a corner as the men and women in white coats come to take them away for their next set of experiments. PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) have kindly agreed to pay any expenses that these two individuals will need to live a life they deserve. SPEAK would like to thank both the sanctuary and PETA for their very kind offers of assistance.

SPEAK have asked for an independent adjudicator to verify the fate of these two poor wretched individuals. We have yet to recieve a reply from the University. One can only imagine the pain and suffering they experienced throughout their sad lives, a fate being experienced at this very moment by countless animals incarcerated at the University.

Oxford University can rest assured a line has been drawn in the sand, SPEAK and the animal rights movement will stop your barbarism, there will only be one victor in this campaign. We defeated the Government and Cambridge University and we plan to do the same again.

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