Animal rights extremists are using elderly and infirm people as human shields to escape arrest while demonstrating against a controversial monkey farm, a senior police officer claims.
Tony Lake, Sussex assistant chief constable, in a letter to the Argus, slams hardline activists for tactics they have used in a bid to shut down Shamrock (GB) in Small Dole.
He says: " Criminal acts of violence by cowardly thugs who cloak themselves in hoods to hide their identities cannot be tolerated in a civilised society and will not be tolerated in Sussex. We are actively taking steps to identify those responsible and deal with them."
Toni Vernelli, of Save the Shamrock Monkeys said: "I find these remarks unbelievable. A lot of demonstrators would be insulted at the idea."
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