Campaigners stage vigil against live exports at Ramsgate
ANIMAL rights groups held a 24-hour vigil at Ramsgate port to protest against live exports.
Bearing signs and leaflets, campaigners camped out at the port entrance from noon on Saturday until noon on Sunday.
The purpose of the vigil was to highlight the plight of animals being taken via Ramsgate to as far away as Spain to be slaughtered.
Ros Bane from Kent Vegans was one of 15 protesters to camp out at the port for the entire 24 hours.
She said: "It was very well attended, there were people there from as far away as Coventry and they stayed through the night.
"Altogether about 50 people came and went during the vigil. We had support from people going by in their cars and hooting their horns, it was very peaceful. Some of our group also leafleted at the Firefly Fiesta festival which took place in Ramsgate on Sunday."
Police say the event passed off without incident.
Ros said: "We shall carry on protesting and try to keep the issue in the public eye until we get this evil trade to stop."
Labour councillor and campaign organiser Ian Driver was unable to attend the vigil due to ill health.
He said: "Our organising committee will be meeting on Saturday and we will look at what will be done next. Our petition is going well.
"On October 13 I will be putting a motion to the council to ask for their support for the petition and for them to encourage the people of Thanet to sign up."
The practice of exporting live animals from Ramsgate port resumed in May.
The petition calls on the Government to review the 1847 Harbours, Docks and Piers Clauses Act and give port owners the right to refuse the shipment of live animals overseas. It has so far collected about 1,100 signatories.
To sign the petition go to epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/16024
Comments
by markwaghorn
Tuesday, September 20 2011, 3:23PM
“Talking about imports/exports, did anyone else see a report in today's Daily Mail (page 21) that apples from China are being sold in the Garden of England. One of the reasons I moved to Kent from the Maudsley Centre in South London is that apples are my favourite food. In fact it is about all I eat, in the way of snacks, apart from the odd giant bag of sweets. So when I read today that a supermarket in Kent is selling apples from China I was naturally outraged. The county's reputation for top quality apples has been recognised for centuries with my own particular favourite varieties being Cox and Bramley. All shops in Kent should be forced to stock only Kent apples. I am going to begin a campaign. Who is with me?”