MERCK & BRISTOL-MEYERS SQUIBB PROTESTS

On the afternoon of Feb 15, animal rights activists staged noisy protests and lobby occupations aimed at pharmaceutical industry customers of Huntingdon Life Sciences.

The protests began a little after 1pm and continued until well after 3pm, finally drawing a swarm of cops to the offices of Bristol-Myers Squibb at 655 15th St NW(Metropolitan Square).

Protesters there stormed into the lobby and set off three bullhorns in siren mode, followed by incredibly loud and amplified anti-HLS chants. Security did not have an easy time removing the activists, and whined to the cops, who made threats but no arrests as more and more cops showed up.

This came on the heels of a confrontation at Merck (601 Penn ave NW) where a security guard scooped up a dropped farecard and had to be "persuaded" to return it by a second entry into that building's lobby in which he was cornered by his desk and ordered to give it up. He agreed (while surrounded) to surrender it if everyone left the building, and since the reason for re-entry was to retrieve it that offer was accepted.

Thia was a BAD DAY for HLS customers in DC, dump HLS!