UK: 19 Activists Arrested Ahead Of Epsom Derby

London
Surrey Police in the UK have arrested 19 activists in connection with plans to disrupt the Epsom Derby Festival on Saturday, a media report said. The Animal Rising group accused the police of abusing their powers after the 19 were detained on Saturday morning, based on intelligence received by officers. A spokesman for the force said that 11 people were arrested at addresses in Mitcham and Byfleet in the early hours and a further eight people were arrested after their vehicle was stopped on Canons Lane in Burgh Heath, not far from the racecourse, at around 10.20 a.m., the report added.
All were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit public nuisance and remain in police custody. Animal Rising had warned that protesters would attempt to disrupt the event, despite a High Court injunction. We are seeing an intensive policing operation to protect the interests of a multi-billion pound industry that the majority of the public, as a nation of animal lovers, recognise as cruel to horses, Dan Kidby, co-founder of Animal Rising. A horse dies every other day in racing and billions of animals are killed every year in our food system. Animal Rising will not stop trying to bring these issues to the forefront of the public agenda and demand change, he added.