Animal rights protesters were stopped by police officers as they attempted to raid the racecourse during today’s Scottish Grand National at Ayr Racecourse.
The Animal Rising group has taken responsibility for the incident on social media, sharing a video of 25 of their supporters storming under fences and running to various positions around the track.
They tried to cling to the jumps and fences on the track in an attempt to “cancel the big race.”
Animal Rising said they will ‘protect animals’ and added that they will promise to stage more demonstrations, adding that last week’s protest at the Aintree Grand National was ‘just the beginning’.
On social media, Animal Rising said just before 4pm: ’25 Animal Rising supporters made it onto the course of the Scottish Grand National, endangering their bodies and protecting animals.’
Animal Rising activists are apprehended by police officers as they attempted to raid the racecourse during the Coral Scottish Grand National festival at Ayr Racecourse
The Animal Rising group has taken responsibility for the incident on social media
Protesters tried to cling to the track’s jumps and gates in an effort to ‘cancel the big race’
An Animal Rising protester is apprehended by police after being chained to the fence at Ayr Racecourse
A protester is detained by a police officer during the Scottish Grand National today
Police attempted to arrest an Animal Rising protester at Ayr Racecourse earlier today
Protesters on the racecourse ahead of the start of the Scottish Grand National today as police arrest them
The post added: “They are trying to latch on to jumps and gates to cancel the big race.
“This afternoon, 8-year-old Oscar Elite died on the exact same track. We are taking action today with them in our hearts.
“Every other day a horse dies racing in the UK. We are here to protect horses by saying NO to this barbaric ‘sport’.
“There are plenty of other things we can enjoy on a Saturday afternoon without watching animals get hurt.
“Last week at Aintree was just the beginning. The summer of Animal Rising is coming.’
Despite the protest, the race went ahead as planned, with horse Kitty taking the win too late.
Activists attempted to disrupt the Grand National at Aintree by entering the racecourse and chaining themselves to fences and railings, delaying the race by 15 minutes
A protester detained as activists attempted to disrupt the Grand National by entering the racecourse and chaining themselves to fences and railings, delaying the race by 15 minutes on April 15
This comes after the Grand National at Aintree was postponed after Animal Rising protesters stormed the circuit.
At least two protesters have fixed themselves on a jump with glue and locking devices.
Animal Rising supporters were also spotted today at a climate protest outside parliament.
Thousands of protesters have gathered for their ‘The Big One’ campaign, organized by Extinction Rebellion (XR), as part of a four-day campaign designed to highlight the government’s ‘environmental failures’.
Animal Rising flags were displayed among activists carrying XR flags and posters.
Animal Rising supporters were also spotted today at a climate protest outside parliament
Thousands of protesters have gathered for their ‘The Big One’ campaign, organized by Extinction Rebellion (XR), as part of a four-day campaign designed to highlight ‘the environmental failures’ of the government
XR says thousands of people protested outside government departments in London on Friday “to highlight the government’s environmental and social failings.”
Today’s protest focused on wildlife and biodiversity and started from Westminster Abbey with attendees, many of them children, wearing animal costumes and masks.
‘It’s an emergency. Everyone needs to work together so that future generations can enjoy our beautiful planet,” says 47-year-old Jenny O’Hara Jakeway, who made the six-hour journey from Wales with her two children.
“I should protest more, but my life is work and family. Being passive is no longer an option because of the urgency of the situation,” she told AFP.
Many had made banners for the occasion, one reading: ‘We defend the climate, but the police are arresting us’ and the other reading ‘Extinction is forever’. Others warned that a third of Britain’s birds were ‘threatened with extinction’.