Letter: Judges ignored the peaceful protestors

Sir: Your editorial "Long hot summer on the docks" (13 April) clearly emphasises the judgmental rather than judicially impartial tone of yesterday's High Court judgment on the live animal exports issue. The judges have gone beyond the boundaries of stating what the law allows into censure and implied threat.

They do no justice to peaceful, law-abiding animal welfare demonstrators by dismissing them in conveniently derogatory terms as animal rights activists bent on mob rule.

The judgment moves on from stating what the live animal exporters can do, to pressing what the port and airport authorities must do, and what the demonstrators had better do - or else.

Nowhere is there spelt out what protesters against a cruel and immoral trade can do to show their objections. Nowhere is the role of lawful dissent in a democratic society even acknowledged.

Yours sincerely,

TERESA RICKARDS

Bury, Lancashire

13 April