One week after announcing the closure of its laboratory in São Roque, the Instituto Royal was raided again. In the early hours of November 13, a group of masked activists stormed the complex, forced open doors and removed more than 300 rats and mice who still remained inside the lab.
One week after announcing the closure of its laboratory in São Roque, the Instituto Royal was raided again. In the early hours of November 13, a group of masked activists stormed the complex, forced open doors and removed more than 300 rats and mice who still remained inside the lab. According to police, three security guards were tied up during the raid (one guard was tied up with laces from his boots).
Expensive microscopes, computers and other research equipment was destroyed. Three cars and a motorcycle parked on site were also vandalized. "We regret that activists have again resorted to riot," the institute said in a statement.
19 days after a mass raid in which 178 dogs and seven rabbits were rescued from cages at the Instituto Royal in São Roque, Brazil, the institute announced that it will shut down the laboratory. In a statement released today, the institute expained its decision: "Considering the high and irreparable losses and damage suffered as a result of the invasion on Oct. 18 - with the loss of almost the entire breeding stock of animals and nearly a decade of research - as well as the continuing instability and security crisis that jeopardize the physical and moral integrity of its employees, the members concluded that the ability of the Instituto Royal to continue to carry out scientific research and testing using animals is hopelessly compromised."
SAO PAULO — Animal rights activist Saturday clashed with police in front of a laboratory in southeastern Brazil that used dogs for drug tests.
The clash came one day after activists broke into the Instituto Royal laboratory in Sao Roque and released 178 beagles being used to test for adverse effects of drugs manufactured by the pharmaceutical industry.
Officer Edivaldo Nunes of the Sao Roque police department said by telephone that about 500 activists tried to break through barriers set up in front of the laboratory following Friday's break-in.
He said several members of the so-called Black Block anarchist group were among the protesters.
"They hurled rocks and set fire to a police car and to two cars of a local television station," Nunes said, adding that police responded with tear gas and pepper spray to disperse the crowd. He did not know if anyone was hurt or arrested.
Nunes said that "a large group of activists shouting 'save the dogs' stormed the lab early Friday morning and drove away with the animals.
He said none of the dogs have been recovered.
Phone calls to the lab for comment went unanswered on Saturday.
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