At around 19:45, 5 Animal Rising supporters ran onto the Doncaster Racecourse track. They could be seen walking down the track holding a large banner reading “Animal Rising, For All Life.”
The individuals involved could be seen wearing pink t-shirts with the words “Animal Rising, For All Life” on them. The group claimed the action was to protect horses at the racecourse and also continue a national conversation on our broken relationship with other animals and nature that began with The Grand National.
This comes weeks after the same group disrupted the Grand National and Scottish Grand National, and recently announced their plans to disrupt the Epsom Derby [1].
Earlier today, 14 unprovoked arrests were made at an Animal Rising nonviolence training in London - despite the group making multiple public statements it had no plans to disrupt the coronation proceedings in Westminster [2]
Supporters of Animal Rising have disrupted the evening races at Doncaster Racecourse in a bid to stop the day’s final race. The group climbed over fences around the track before entering the course itself. This is the third time the group has disrupted horse racing this year and the first time at a flat racing event.
Joshua Lane, 25, and Engineer from Derby and one of those on the track said:
“The need to address our heartbreaking disconnect from other animals and nature has never been more urgent. Horse racing is a clear example of how far we are from our ideals as a nation of animal lovers. How can it be right to force these beautiful horses into doing something purely for our use and entertainment? They deserve lives free from exploitation, just as all animals do - whether that’s for entertainment or food.
We know this change can’t happen overnight, but we can begin right now. That means stopping breeding horses for the racing industry and directing funds towards the happy retirement of the horses currently used. Combining this with a safe, secure food system and mass rewilding would create a British countryside we can all take pride in.”
Whilst flat racing results in fewer track deaths for horses, Animal Rising states that this argument avoids the bigger issue - the use of animals for human entertainment. Furthermore, in flat racing horses are still subjected to the use of the “bit” to control their behaviour. This has been linked to impaired breathing and bone spurs, whilst also causing immense pain [3]. The use of whips is also still permitted, despite evidence from a decade-long study showing that they cause an immense amount of pain to the animals whilst having a little-to-no impact on race safety [4]. This year already three horses have died at Doncaster Racecourse [5].
Animal Rising is a social movement to create a new relationship with all beings and give us a chance for a safe ecological future. The group primarily calls for the transition to a secure and sustainable plant-based food system, alongside a mass rewilding programme.
ENDS.
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Notes to Editors:
[1] https://www.animalrising.org/post/grand-national-disrupted-animal-rising-occupy-track and https://www.animalrising.org/post/scottish-grand-national-disrupted-by-animal-rising and https://www.animalrising.org/post/epsom-is-next-animal-rising-declares-intention-to-disrupt-the-derby-festival