19 people arrested in connection with plans to disrupt Epsom Derby

03 June 2023 , 10:17

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Police officers take up positions out on the course ahead of racing (Image: Getty)

Police have revealed 19 people have been arrested over alleged plans to disrupt the Epsom Derby on Saturday.

Animal Rising activists announced their plans to halt the Derby earlier this week after disrupting the Grand National at Aintree in Aprill.

Officers said 11 people were arrested at separate addresses in the early hours of the morning following warrants based on intelligence received ahead of the festival. Eight people were also arrested after a vehicle stopped in Burgh Heath at about 10.20am, two miles from Epsom Downs racecourse.

All were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit public nuisance and remain in police custody. Activists from the group Animal Rising had pledged to “cancel or severely delay” the Derby in the lead-up to the event.

At Aintree, protestors from Animal Rising delayed the famous race by 14 minutes after scaling fences and breaking onto the course. They were blamed with unsettling horses with trainer Sandy Thompson claiming they paid a part in the death of Hill Sixteen.

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The Jockey Club, who own both Epsom and Aintree, took legal action after the National and argued that protests "compromise the safety of equine and human participants and all racegoers".

An armed police officer outside of the racecourse (Getty)

High Court judge Sir Anthony Mann granted an injunction stating that activists who disrupted the event could be subject to proceedings for contempt of court, which may lead to a fine and/or imprisonment.

Jockey Club chief executive Nevin Truesdale pleaded earlier this week: "I urge Animal Rising to abandon any plans to breach security at The Derby Festival and respect the legitimate right of the thousands of people who will join us at Epsom Downs and the millions of others watching at home and around the world to enjoy the sport they love uninterrupted. We will simply not tolerate a repeat of the dangerous and reckless behaviour we saw at Aintree on Grand National Day."

Animal Rising activists stage a planned peaceful protest outside the main gates (Getty)

The Jockey Club offered an area outside of the main gates for a peaceful protest and many campaigners were seen holding up signs on Saturday morning. However it seems any attempts to bring the racing to a halt have been thwarted.

Animal Rising claim the arrests are "another example of how the Government is attempting to outlaw all protests and ignore critical societal issues."

Dan Kidby, co-founder of Animal Rising said: "We are seeing an intensive policing operation to protect the interests of a multi-billion pound industry that the majority of the public, as a nation of animal lovers, recognise as cruel to horses.

"A horse dies every other day in racing and billions of animals are killed every year in our food system. Animal Rising will not stop trying to bring these issues to the forefront of the public agenda and demand change."

Liam Prenderville