Will Young handcuffs himself to dog breeding centre at protest

‘I am a dog-lover, an animal-lover and a human-lover; I come with no hate and aggression’

Will Young (Getty)

Will Young handcuffed himself to the gates of a dog-breeding centre in Cambridgeshire in a protest over animal testing.

Young joined animal rights protestors from Camp Beagle to campaign for the closure of MBR Acres in Wyton, near Huntington.

They were also demanding the release of the dogs in the facility and to end the use of beagles in laboratory testing.

Young said he travelled to the demonstration “because I am a dog-lover, an animal-lover and a human-lover; I come with no hate and aggression,” reported on BBC News.

The singer added: “People are unaware there is still animal testing in this country and it is not needed. I couldn’t sit at home and not do nothing [to] bring attention to the plight of these animals.

“All protests, all movements, need little boosts. As someone who has [fans] I couldn’t sit at home and just write another song or another book.”

Young handcuffed himself to the gate of the Marshall Bioresources facility, but later released himself after he was spoken to by police.

Cambridgeshire police later said: “Officers spoke to a man handcuffed to the gates and he has since released himself from the handcuffs and moved away from the entrance. Our response to the protests in Wyton has been impartial and proportionate, balancing the right to protest with the right of staff at the site to go about their lawful work.

“We are ensuring a safe environment for protesters to express their views peacefully and staff at the site to do their work, which is protected under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005.”

Marshall Bioresources said in a statement that the High Court had last week extended an injunction against protesters “committing unlawful activities” at two of its sites.

The company said it had “no interest in stifling legitimate protest provided it is conducted lawfully and peacefully”.

The statement added: “All protesters are now currently barred by the court from accessing a designated exclusion area in front of the gates to the sites to restrain the unlawful campaign of harassment, trespass and criminal damage directed against our staff, contractors, and visitors. Our business will continue to manage and run its operations in full compliance with Home Office regulations and with our normal high welfare standards.”

It added: “We remain proud of what we do every day because our work allows the progress of medicine to save millions of human and animal lives.”