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Fresh Charges for Grand National Protestors as Animal Rising Submits Pleas at Liverpool Crown Court

Nine Animal Rising campaigners entered pleas at Liverpool Crown Court today(15/09/29), charged with conspiracy to commit public nuisance following the group’s actions at the 2023Ca Grand National, [1] a charge which can result in a sentence of up to ten years’ imprisonment. One of the accused entered a plea of “guilty” while eight entered pleas of “not guilty”.


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  • Animal Rising’s plans to disrupt the 2023 Grand National were released prior to the event due to a Mail on Sunday exposé; [2] the resulting peaceful protests led to 118 arrests and the delay of the race by 14 minutes.

  • The campaigners were calling for an end to horse racing on animal welfare grounds. Over 450 horses have been killed at racecourses in the UK since the 2023 Grand National protest [3].

  • 6 Animal Rising campaigners are currently in the third week of their four-week trial at Liverpool Crown Court on public nuisance charges after taking part in Animal Rising’s protest against the Grand National on 15th April 2023.

  • This is the first of 5 Grand National trials taking place this year, with 29 Animal Rising campaigners in total pleading not guilty to public nuisance.


Campaigners who took part in Animal Rising’s 2023 Grand National protest aimed at preventing horses from coming to harm are pointing to the recent horror death of Excellent Echo as clear evidence as to why the industry must be shut down. [4]


According to a University of York study, over half of those under 40 would not consider attending horse races due to welfare issues. The same study stated that attendance declined by over 500,000 from 2015 to 2019 [5].


Claudia Penna Rojas, Animal Rising spokesperson, commented:


“Every time a horse dies on the track, the cruelty of racing is laid bare. The public doesn’t want this suffering to continue. The horses deserve better, and the industry’s welfare claims have become an embarrassment. It’s time to end horse racing and stop exploiting animals for profit.”

Call or email our press office +44 1225 29 6691 / press@animalrising.org for comment and further information.

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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All images and videos in this file, on our social media, and website can be used with credit to Animal Rising under ‘fair use’ for the purposes of reporting.


For more information or further comments, please contact:

Emma (Press Back Office)  +44 1225 29 6691


Notes to the Editor:



 
 
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