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He
Aint Heavy.....................
(Dedicated to the eternal soul of Dean Cadwill.
1978-2001,))
"If it harms none, do what you will."
The protests at
Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS), had begun after
the institutes staff were filmed and then
exposed by the national media, mistreating the
animals they would then experiment on. Beagle
handlers were filmed as they beat the dogs,
punching small puppies hard in the face, then
throwing the helpless animals to the concrete
floor.
HLS had been
involved in the safety testing of herbicides,
food colourings, and genetically modified foods.
Records showed that an average of five hundred
animals died every single day. These included
recees monkeys, beagle pups, birds, fish and
others. Once the tapes came into the public
domain it wasn't hard for the Animal Liberation
Front (ALF) to gain support from
"ordinary" members of the public,
rallying for the closure of the torture factory.
Also joining the fight were those disaffected
youths that may have otherwise joined a cult, or
started a new sport, even started working with
Daddy. The aim was to free as many animals as
possible. In many parts of the world this course
of direct action earned ALF the unwanted title
of Terrorists.
Three weeks
after the tapes were first aired, and the story
blown wide open, the number of protesters,
compared to the number of Police and private
security contactors, had reached its critical
control point. That is not to say that a riot
was due to break out at any second, but it did
mean that ALF, who due to good policing only had
five operatives present, were able to sneak one
operative, Dean Cadwill, past security and into
the building.
Dean made it to
the fifth floor. His disguise of a white lab.
coat, plus accompanying tie and shirt were long
gone. Replaced by the ALF uniform, black
everything, including balaclava. It came down to
looking better should photographs be taken of
agents, obviously it also protected their
identities.
During the briefing before the mission started
that day Tim was elected as the one that would
get past the cordons and inside. Deans role had
been just to create the diversion to allow it to
happen. But something had gone wrong and Tim was
denied, but a chance was left for someone to get
in. Being the fighter for animal rights that he
was, Dean bravely took the opportunity.
But now he was
lost, and running a high risk of being exposed.
This was his first direct action with ALF, but
he had acted on his own before. Setting the
animals free from the pound, saving them from
certain death, had been his proudest moment. Now
though he was starting to doubt his nerve.
To get his bearings he ducked into what looked
like a tea room. First he checked it was clear
by squinting through the smoked glass door.
Inside there were two "bench" sofas,
some cupboards and a kettle. The Sunday sport
pages on the wall made him chuckle, and brought
down the already low image that the room
projected.
Unfortunately
also in the room was someone from HLS! Dean put
his radio to his mouth and spoke. The speaker in
the van next to me crackled to life,
"....fire, fucking found Tyson!!"
Deans codename that day was
"hellfire". "Tyson" had been
the nickname that ALF had given the sick bastard
that was filmed punching the poor beagle pups. I
never heard Dean speak again. Ever.
Outside a
director of Huntingdon Life Sciences took to a
makeshift stage to give an address to the
protesters. He seemed put out that the crowd
wouldn't hush for his pathetic speech. He went
on about how of course HLS killed animals, but
it was the aim of the institute to save any
human life they could. I continued to try and
raise my life long friend on the radio.
Dean was buried
five days later.
A verdict of
death by misadventure was recorded at the
inquest held in Peterborough, 6.12.01. I
attended both the inquest and the funeral as the
friend I truly was, not as a member of ALF. I
have known Lorna (his Mum) all my life, and her
daughter Paula all of hers, they're my family in
all but blood.
It has been
killing me that ALF has kept quiet about it's
involvement, but since the terrorist attacks on
The World Trade Centre, anyone ever accused of
being a "terrorist group" is keeping
quiet.
I hope Dean understands this. In fact I know he
will. He died without reason, he died in vain,
and I can't tell Lorna or Paula the truth.
That's why I hate myself.
I am writing
this now for them I guess. Two days ago, under
minimal publicity, ALF published the addresses
of all HLS employees on an encrypted web site.
Tyson’s was there, though ALF want no part in
any direct action, I do.
Whoever finds
this, why ever you find it, I just want justice
for Dean, Paula and Lorna.
Forgive
me my brother
For failing that day
For letting you die
In that horrible way
I'll vow you this promise
By my hand he'll pay
Or I'll be with you
By the end of the day.
Steve Jason. |
