Grand National at risk as animal rights group ‘will scale fences to stop race’

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    The Grand National is under threat as animal rights protesters claim they'll 'scale fences to stop the race' on Saturday.

    A woman has been arrested ahead of the race for suspicion of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance, police have confirmed. Her arrest comes as 100 animal rights protesters gathered outside Aintree Racecourse ahead of the final day of the Grand National Festival.

    The woman, from London, was arrested in the Greater Manchester area this morning in connection with potential co-ordinated disruption activities at Aintree racecourse. And she remains in custody where she faces questioning from officers.

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    A spokesperson for Merseyside Police said: "Merseyside Police has been working with The Jockey Club and other partners to keep people safe during the Grand National Festival.

    “We are aware of some people planning to protest at the event. This has been factored into our plans. We respect the right to peaceful protest and expression of views, but criminal behaviour and disorder will not be tolerated and will be dealt with robustly."

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    But her arrest hasn't stopped members of Animal Rising from swarming the outskirts of the Merseyside-held event, with intentions to stop it from happening. The Group revealed they plan to scale the fences and enter the track of Aintree Racecourse before the Grand National race begins.

    Police officers and members of the press were also at the entrance. And Dora Hargitai, 37, a volunteer with Animal Rising, said: “I do believe we can have non-violence on both sides. The race has to stop. Today and forever."

    The group of around 100 people gathered outside the race's location to 'peacefully protest' about the deaths of horses that participate in the event every year, exemplified by the tragic passion of Envoye Special on Friday.

    And the activists have decided to resort to drastic measures to ensure the Grand National doesn't take place this year. Speaking on their passion to stop the race, Animal Rising spokesperson, Claudia Penna Rojas said: "We’re here today to stop harm coming to horses at The Grand National and to really create a conversation about our broken relationship with other animals and nature.

    "Half of all horses in slaughterhouses have a racing passport, alongside the billion animals that die in our food system each year, and we need to find ways of loving these animals that doesn’t harm them.

    This summer Animal Rising will be taking action to protect animals from harm by openly rescuing them from factory farms and putting ourselves between these beautiful creatures and harm.”

    The group of protestors arrived at 9.30am with more expected to arrive as the day goes on. The group says disrupting the Grand National is the first of many actions this summer, including rescuing animals from factory farms, with the aim of creating "a national conversation on our relationship with animals and nature".

    Animal Rising – formerly known as Animal Rebellion – claims fixing this relationship, transitioning to a plant-based food system and "rewilding" is critical to tackling climate and ecological crises.

    • Horse racing
    • Grand National

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