British police arrest 118 Grand National protesters

British police today arrested 118 activists during a protest against the UK’s largest Grand National in Liverpool.

Activists climbed over the fences at Aintree Racecourse, and at least two of them used a sticker and zip-ties to attach themselves to one of the course’s jumps, environmental group Animal Rising said.

The action caused a 12-minute delay in the start of the race, during which one of the horses died after falling over the first fence. Two more animals have died in the three days of the festival, the main event of which is Saturday’s run, which drew criticism from activists.

“We respect the right to protest peacefully and express different views, but we cannot tolerate criminal behavior and disorderly conduct and will respond harshly,” Merseyside police warned.

Deputy Chief of Police Paul White acknowledged that there had been a “massive protest” at the Grand National. “It started in the morning when several protesters gathered near the hippodrome. At 17:00 a large group tried to invade the track, so we prevented this with the help of the organization and some spectators,” he explained.

White said the activists tried to enter from various places. “The perimeter of the route is from four to five kilometers, so a lot of resources are needed to cover all sections,” he stressed. “They were forced out with the help of organizers, private security and officials,” he said.

“Whether for food or entertainment, our use of animals and nature is an example of a relationship that is much more than broken,” said activist Sarah McCaffrey.

“We are a nation that loves animals, but the daily pain of these beautiful creatures does not do us justice. We must find a way to love animals without harming them. That’s why I decided to put my body between these horses and death. at the hippodrome,” he said.

Animal Aid calls for a ban on show jumping to avoid incidents such as an animal breaking its neck on the first Grand National fence.

“Innocent racehorses are killed in the name of entertainment and gambling. Aintree is the worst of the tracks, it’s a shame for the Jockey Club,” he repeated.

39 competing horses remained in the dress ring. The race was originally scheduled to start at 17:15 local time and ended approximately 15 minutes later.

The day began with the arrest of three people because of the activists’ plan to stop the race. But three people were arrested on “suspicion of conspiracy to harm the community,” police said.

The Grand National is one of the biggest events on the British sports calendar and is considered one of the most dangerous horse races in the world due to the size of the fences.