Today it is exactly six months since the ALF published the chilling message that ‘Anyone linked in any way to Oxford University …is now a major target of the ALF.’

Many people including Oxford lecturers and students were angered by these threats and the media unambiguously condemned them.

An Oxford University spokeswoman said, ‘It is of great concern that a small minority is willing to use intimidation, harassment and threats of violence as part of their indiscriminate campaign of intimidation and criminal activity.’ So what has actually happened in the last six months in Oxford?

In February a group of animal activists entered the grounds of St Anne’s College with placards refusing to leave, until several porters blocked other entrance routes and escorted the protestors off the premises. Animal rights group SPEAK told their supporters in May to be ‘creative and unpredictable’ in their protests. In March a telecom mast of ‘Oxford supporter Vodafone’ was subjected minor damage. But luckily not a single student or lecturer got intimidated. It is worth noting that Robin Webb on Channel 4 News publicly back-tracked on threats against students.

Oxford University has been successful so far in condemning animal rights extremism: on 26 May the university was granted an extension to its existing injunction against animal rights activists. An exclusion zone around the site of the biomedical research centre is to be enlarged. The High Court also widened an order to protect staff, students and contractors from harassment by some protesters.

But it’s not just the university taking a pro-active stance. Many students, scientists and members of the general public have been engaging in fighting back against animal rights extremism. The media coverage strongly condemns any form of violent animal rights extremism. We should not forget that the last two Pro-Test marches were extremely successful: both attracted hundreds in support of the research facility, opposed only by a small number of anti-lab demonstrators. The general mood seems to be ever more in favour of carefully regulated animal research.