One of the drugmaker’s factories in the UK is on high alert against the possibility of threats from animal rights protesters. The tensions between the drugmaker and the group isn’t new, but Glaxo claims protesters have harassed and intimiated employees who work at a plant in Ulverston by conducting violent attacks on workers’ vehicles and painting graffiti on their homes.

Glaxo has already gone to court seeking injunctions to keep the activists away from all 18 of its locations. Now, the drugmaker wants a judge to create ‘exclusion zones’ around its facilities. For the moment, an emergency temporary injunction that was granted earlier this month remains in place.

Glaxo is being targeted for its work with Huntingdon Life Sciences, which tests products for drugmakers. A Glaxo spokesman says: “At GSK Ulverston we have not experienced any issues relating to animal rights extremists or protesters, but we always remain vigilant…The decision to apply for an injunction came as a result of a significant increase in animal extremist incidents against GSK and its employees between January and March 2007.

For ethical, regulatory and scientific reasons, research using animals remains a small but vital part of the research and development of new medicines and vaccines. GSK supports legitimate animal welfare concerns, and the law-abiding organisations that represent them.

“GSK deplores the long-term campaign of violence, intimidation and harassment which has been run against people associated with Huntingdon Life Sciences and will continue to work with HLS as long as they continue to meet their current high standards of animal welfare and Home Office requirements.”

Source: The North-West Evening Mail

[tags]Animal Rights, GlaxoSmithKline[/tags]