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5 DAYS OF DEMOS FOR NOVARTIS IN DC

>> Day One
Monday 24th August

A week-long series of demonstrations against the pharmaceutical giant and big-time HLS customer, Novartis, kicked off with office demonstrations at the Novartis office in downtown D.C. on the afternoon of Monday August 24th.

Protestors with signs and a bullhorn arrived outside the Norvartis office around 4:30pm. The protestors proceeded to vocally inform Novartis that their refusal to issue a statement (that the company would sever all ties with Huntingdon Life Sciences and never do business with the vile HLS again) would only lead to more loud, angry protests. When protestors became aware that the security guards outside the door where the protest was being staged were redirecting employees out of a side exit, the protestors broke into two groups, with some protestors staying behind at the main entrance, and others going off to cover the side door with signs and chanting.

This proved to be too much for the security guards to handle, so they called for backup in the form of metro police. The police who arrived on the scene claimed (wrongly) that using a bullhorn at the demonstration was not permissible. This is a tactic that is used frequently to intimidate protestors in D.C. A police detective on the site of the demonstration attempted to further disrupt the demonstration by engaging demonstrators individually in the manner typical of a former schoolyard bully. These petty police tactics failed to quell the decent of the anti-HLS activists, and the message that Novartis must drop Huntingdon Life Sciences was served with thunderous volume and with a lengthy duration.

A few hours later, protesters went to make good on their promises made at the Novartis office, and around 9:00 at night, anti-HLS demonstrators descended upon the home of Bonnie Washington, Vice-President of Health Policy for Novartis. Bonnie just happened to be in her car on the way out of her driveway when the protestors made their presence known. It wasn't long before the loud chanting drew attention from neighbors, who engaged the protestors, threatening them verbally and even committing physical assault. But if the company Bonnie works for continues to contract with Huntingdon Life Sciences, she can count on more loud angry protests outside her house, regardless how audacious and downright insane her neighbors might be. Bonnie, go into work and demand that Novartis makes an official statement that they will sever ALL ties with HLS again and vow to never do business with them again!

Audio coverage by WSQT Radio - click here.


>> Day two
Tuesday 25th August

On Tuesday, August 25th , demonstrators staged an early morning protest outside the D.C. offices of Novartis, the second day in a week of actions against the notorious pharmaceutical company.

Novartis employees showing up for work were greeted with signs depicting the horrid atrocities that occur within the walls of Huntingdon Life Sciences, and which their contracts help to perpetuate, as well as loud and angry chanting. Moving from the main entrance to the side door to ensure that all Novartis employees could have the opportunity to be informed of the evils that their company collaborates upon, the protestors happened upon a woman who identified herself as an FBI agent. This was far from the first occasion that a federal agent has made an appearance at the D.C. Novartis office, and it probably won't be the last time, either. However, no amount of FBI scare-mongering will silence the message that Novartis will be held accountable for its collusion in the murder of 500 animals every day in the laboratories of Huntingdon Life Sciences.


>> Day three
Wednesday 26th August

Wednesday, August 26th , protestors returned to the downtown D.C. offices of Novartis yet again for another early morning protest.

This time, the anti-HLS activists stayed primarily near the main entrance of the offices, shouting loudly with bullhorn accompaniment and displaying signs depicting animals tortured, mutilated, and murdered in the hellish laboratories of Huntingdon Life Sciences. There was no direct confrontation with police this time, but two unmarked vehicles were noted by protestors to be watching from afar, and when approached were found to be police vehicles, one of which was driven by the detective who had appeared at the protest two days before, the other was driven by an unidentifiable police agent.

Protestors took their fury from the Novartis offices to nearby Sanofi-Aventis, with the unmarked police cars in pursuit. After about 30 minutes of protesting this HLS pharmaceutical contracting company, it was back to the Novartis office to serve a further reminder that protests could occur any time, day or night, and would continue with undiminished intensity until Novartis finally throws in the towel and has the good sense to dump HLS.


>> Day four
Thursday 27th August

Protestors returned with early morning demonstrations to the D.C. offices of Novartis on Thursday, August 27th , to make good on the promise that as long as innocent animals are tortured, mutilated, and murdered within the HLS death camp, those who do business with Huntingdon Life Sciences will be made to sever their contracts with HLS, either sooner or later.

Novartis refuses to take the easy route, to issue a statement proclaiming and end to all relations with Novartis. Instead, they're insisting on enduring loud, angry protest after loud, angry protest, somehow oblivious to the fact that doing business with such a murderous company as HLS that is also failing in a huge way financially will be their ruin. Novartis, make an official statement that you have vowed NEVER to do business with HLS ever again, or else protests at your DC offices and your homes will only strengthen and continue.


>> Day five
Friday 28th August

At 4pm on August 28, animal advocates showed up yet again at Novartis near the Navy Memorial for yet another loud, bullhorn-boosted protest. Activists were demanding that drugmaker Novartis permanently stop sending business to Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS).

For about an hour, protesters were in front of Novartis for the fifth time this week-with NO cops! Hundreds of people passed by on their way home, many asking our of curiosity what the hell was going on with Novartis to attract such a protest.

HLS is a real piece of work. Seven undercover investigations have each found a continuation of animal torture unrelated to study requirements, such as the infamous incident where beagle puppies were punched in the face. The fact that stuff like this keeps happening implies a failure of HLS to learn from their mistakes. This, in turn, casts into doubt any ability of their part to understand the principles of science-where you try to learn from the results of an action.

In fact, the sloppy science at HLS is suspected in having a role in the Vioxx deaths. When Merck was testing Vioxx, HLS got the contract, and duly reported that the drug was safe after killing who knows how many puppies. When the drug was given to people, dozens died and hundreds were hospitalized after heart attacks.

More details on DC Direct Action News.