Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
JOCKEY CLUB BOSS IN PLEA FOR ‘RESPECT’
JOCKEY CLUB chief executive Nevin Truesdale called on Animal Rising to act “in a legal and respectful way” ahead of today’s Betfred Derby at Epsom.
The pressure group, which caused the start of the Grand National to be delayed by 14 minutes after its protesters invaded the course at Aintree, has made clear its plans to disrupt the Classic with up to 1,000 activists.
The Jockey Club, which granted Animal Rising a space for a peaceful protest outside the racecourse, last week obtained a High Court injunction banning demonstrators from going on to the track — and has spent an additional £150,000 on security at Epsom.
“Our message to anybody who wants to break the law, or comes here with a desire to break the law tomorrow, is very simple — please desist from doing so,” said Truesdale (below).
“There is a legal area, which we have arranged with Animal Rising through our dialogue with them over the last few weeks, where they can protest.
“The point of view is legitimate — it needs to be expressed — but it needs to be done in a legal and respectful way. “We have shown Animal Rising the respect they deserve by giving this area. We now expect them to give us the same respect.”
Truesdale, who acknowledged Epsom is “an incredibly difficult” site to police — there is a public right of way on the inside of the course — added: “The people here have paid very good money to come here to enjoy this fantastic two days of racing, so please do not let your point of view, your agenda, impinge on thousands and millions of people’s enjoyment.”