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Post by luap on Dec 17, 2007 13:59:50 GMT
A prominent animal rights campaigner is in custody accused of waging an arson and blackmail campaign against Oxford University.
Mel Broughton, 47, of protest group Speak, is the first person to be charged with attacks on the university over its controversial animal testing laboratory. He is accused of being behind petrol bombs found at Templeton College in Kennington in February and a blaze at a Queens College sports pavilion in November last year.
Broughton appeared briefly at Banbury Magistrates' Court yesterday and was remanded in custody. Broughton, of Semilong Road in Northampton, is charged with conspiracy to blackmail, two counts of possessing an explosive substance and two counts of having an article with intent to damage.
District Judge Brian Loosely refused a bail application by Broughton and remanded him custody to appear at Oxford Crown Court on Friday.
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Post by veganbikerboy on Dec 17, 2007 18:14:39 GMT
I hope he is innocent, but the possesion of 'explosive materials' doesnt sound too promising I have met and spoken to him at length several times, and in many ways he has been an inspiration to me to get 'more involved' he had been a prominant figure head of the speak campaign and been very successful in generating publicity and support through legal means. Gaining the respect of the 'marginal public' Unfortunatley, if he is found guilty and convicted, I think it will be a huge dent to the movement. Not just losing his energy, commitment and entusiasm but the fact that in the public eyes our legal and compassionate fight will be shown to lived upto their expectations of being lead by thugs and criminals. he's not been convicted yet, lets hope he's innocent and justice provails.
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Post by fezzarooooo on Dec 17, 2007 21:10:53 GMT
I hope he isn't involved, but if he is he's an idiot. There's no excuse for blackmail, it's dirty and underhanded and to practice it shows low morality. Arson puts everyone at risk, from civilians to fire crews. If he is involved and convicted it will only serve to undermine any good he and the AR movement have tried to do.
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Post by charlielikesfolk on Feb 11, 2008 4:27:09 GMT
A prominent animal rights campaigner is in custody accused of waging an arson and blackmail campaign against Oxford University. Mel Broughton, 47, of protest group Speak, is the first person to be charged with attacks on the university over its controversial animal testing laboratory. He is accused of being behind petrol bombs found at Templeton College in Kennington in February and a blaze at a Queens College sports pavilion in November last year. Broughton appeared briefly at Banbury Magistrates' Court yesterday and was remanded in custody. Broughton, of Semilong Road in Northampton, is charged with conspiracy to blackmail, two counts of possessing an explosive substance and two counts of having an article with intent to damage. District Judge Brian Loosely refused a bail application by Broughton and remanded him custody to appear at Oxford Crown Court on Friday. Robin's been done aswell (co-founder!) it really is terrible how we can be arrested for such loyal acts, mel is a great person, serious at the Demos, dedicated to his cause, and a f**kin' right laff at the after parties, on september the first at the Rugby / football club he got pissed as a fart, and we did the can can to an irish orientated folk band! I love animal rights demos, such nice people.
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Post by charlielikesfolk on Feb 11, 2008 4:28:27 GMT
I hope he isn't involved, but if he is he's an idiot. There's no excuse for blackmail, it's dirty and underhanded and to practice it shows low morality. Arson puts everyone at risk, from civilians to fire crews. If he is involved and convicted it will only serve to undermine any good he and the AR movement have tried to do. You do realised he has been caught in possession of a firebomb before yeah? It doesnt make him an idiot, hes dedicated and he admits if not caught he would have used it (this was a few years ago though!), why be into animal rights? if you don't support the cause?? PS arson is usually only carried out between dusk & dawn, hence the phrase! when no humans are around, theres no-one there to damage, just the economical sabotage aspect of it all, its justified, economic sabotage = money loss for the lab, no lives lost, apart from what those f**kers inside the hell holes kill, so instead of spending that money on torturing animals, they're spending it on higher security levels, new computers, buildings, diggers (usually £300,000 - my Dad's a builder, i know!), So, even though Mel is the leader of a huge organisation, he still holds the same principals, he is not a changed man.. and you must respect that!? Also, firemen, are instructed not to entre a buiilding to save materialistic objects, only humans, if there's no humans around, well... I'd be repeating the last paragraph I typed... Hopefully, that didnt come across too strong.
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Post by Pob on Feb 11, 2008 17:50:22 GMT
Yeah, that was a good night.
Are Mel and Rob still being held? They don't put any info about it on the SPEAK site.
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Post by charlielikesfolk on Feb 13, 2008 2:20:05 GMT
Yeah, that was a good night. Are Mel and Rob still being held? They don't put any info about it on the SPEAK site. Yes, no updates = Mel not being released, as he runs the Page / Website... They're in until the trial, which could be some time later this year. It really is ridiculous.
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Post by veggiewoman on Feb 14, 2008 21:31:48 GMT
Mels imprisonment is another reason we all need to be in Oxford for their National demo on the 19th April. However you get there , please just get there.
I bought a postcard to send to Mel yesterday , can anybody send me a PM with his current address etc etc. Please can everybody send him a post card , showing your support for him and that we've not forgotten him.
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Post by charlielikesfolk on Feb 15, 2008 2:16:05 GMT
Mels imprisonment is another reason we all need to be in Oxford for their National demo on the 19th April. However you get there , please just get there. I bought a postcard to send to Mel yesterday , can anybody send me a PM with his current address etc etc. Please can everybody send him a post card , showing your support for him and that we've not forgotten him. Mel Broughton TN9138, HM Prison Woodhill, Tattenhoe Street, Milton Keynes, Bucks MK4 4DA. that's the last address I saw, but this was in late 2007. Hope it's some help!?
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Post by fezzarooooo on Feb 15, 2008 19:50:59 GMT
You do realised he has been caught in possession of a firebomb before yeah? It doesnt make him an idiot, hes dedicated and he admits if not caught he would have used it (this was a few years ago though!), why be into animal rights? if you don't support the cause?? PS arson is usually only carried out between dusk & dawn, hence the phrase! when no humans are around, theres no-one there to damage, just the economical sabotage aspect of it all, its justified, economic sabotage = money loss for the lab, no lives lost, apart from what those f**kers inside the hell holes kill, so instead of spending that money on torturing animals, they're spending it on higher security levels, new computers, buildings, diggers (usually £300,000 - my Dad's a builder, i know!), So, even though Mel is the leader of a huge organisation, he still holds the same principals, he is not a changed man.. and you must respect that!? Also, firemen, are instructed not to entre a buiilding to save materialistic objects, only humans, if there's no humans around, well... I'd be repeating the last paragraph I typed... Hopefully, that didnt come across too strong. lol maybe just a tad! I didn't realise he'd been caught before. I'm against violence in any form and I make no apologies for it. It doesn't mean I don't support the rights of animals. I'm on this forum because I'm vegan and it's a vegan forum not an AR forum.
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