Anti-Vivisection Demonstrations Continue Outside Conference Venue

Eyewitness report on this afternoon's conference disruption and public engagement demonstration outside the vivisection conference.

The third action of the day kicked off at midday outside the Hotel Grand Chancellor, the ANZSLAS conference venue.

A relatively small group of police and hotel security watched warily as about 50 animal rights activists equipped with signs, junk drums, megaphones, and the awesome wheelie-bin sound system gathered around their ironically cage-like barriers. Intense media workers and bemused tourists swarmed around with cameras as casually dressed supporters handed out leaflets and chatted to the public.

As the protestors busted out funky rhythms and angry chants directed at the vivisectors inside the hotel a carnival atmosphere emerged. The air was filled with the sounds of musique-concrete incorporating frantic drumming, chanting, whistles and megaphone sirens. Puppetistas engaged in guerilla ALF raid re-enactments, rescuing stuffed animals from blood-soaked white-coats watched by a stilt-walking grim reaper.

As the numbers built, the decision was made to set out on a march around the CBD, eventually returning to the hotel for a final noise blast before dispersing to prepare for the evening