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VANLOADS OF POLICE AT PEACEFUL RALLY

Dear Ed,

Re: Arrests at Dover animal demo

I was present and spoke at the peaceful rally and march o­n Dover seafront. 

It is a yearly event to commemorate the death of Jill Phipps under the wheels of an animal exporting lorry. We had planned to place flowers o­n the roundabout at the entrance to Eastern Docks, something we do each year. 

The police, in their wisdom, decided that we couldn't so people marched up the road in order to tie their ribbons and flowers to the railings. This caused more chaos than if we'd been allowed to keep to the usual plan. 

We were filmed from the minute we parked our car and throughout the speeches.  Police were present in vanloads, despite their usual cry of "lack of resources". 

Could this be the reason they produced a situation where arrests would justify the cost of policing the event?

Kent police appear to do everything and anything in order to thwart live export protesters - a trade which is opposed by the vast majority in this country. 

It will o­nly be a matter of time before someone is killed under the wheels of a speeding lorry at Dover port - I personally witnessed the near death or serious injury of a police officer at o­ne of the exports. 

We await the day when police and the authorities will police the live exporters with the same zeal that they police those who oppose the trade.

SuzieB