A racegoer who recorded the moment when a protestor ran on to the course at the Epsom Derby said the activist was “putting the horses in more danger” after crowds cheered their arrest. On Saturday afternoon, two protesters were arrested while attempting to disrupt the Epsom Derby.
Of them, a man managed to jump a fence before being tackled and handcuffed by police on the racecourse as the crowd jeered and booed.
Later, a woman tried to climb the fence onto the course, but was pulled to the ground by police officers.
As of yesterday, Surrey police had arrested over 30 protestors who had tried to disrupt the event.
The development came after Daily Express’s expose that activists were planning to sabotage the weekend’s Epsom Derby with a reckless plot to invade the track.
Jack Cummins, from Cambridge, said the protester was in plain clothes “disguised as a normal racegoer” when they ran onto the course.
The 23-year-old, who was stood in the front row, said: “The guy started running down the course from the hill side – to be fair to security and police they grabbed him pretty quickly and dragged him off.
“Pretty stupid of him to do it, protesters don’t understand how well-treated these horses are – they’re putting the horses in more danger than they’ll have ever been in by jumping into the track.”
In Mr Cummins’ video, onlookers could be heard shouting “get him off” while another appeared to say “Taser him”.
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Express reporter, Max Parry, had infiltrated the organisation and witnessed “non-violent training sessions” at a building in east London.
Organiser Beau King Houston told participants he had “never had a bad experience” once arrested, boasting: “Honestly being in a cell is like being in a really s*** hotel room.”
Animal Rising, who delayed the start of the Grand National by more than 10 minutes in April, suggested the Epsom race should have been halted for the horses’ safety when the protester was on the course – describing the decision to continue as a “sickening display” of profit over animal welfare.
The group tweeted: “Despite The Jockey Club’s claim that the horses safety is paramount, they decided to start the race despite knowing that a protester was on the tracks.
“Another sickening display of profit (over) care for animals.”
Kerri Waters, a PhD researcher and Animal Rising activist at the race, said: “On Friday we saw (racehorse) Running Lion refuse to ride in the Oaks race, showing bravery and resistance to being used as an object and treated like property.
“That is exactly why we’ve attempted to disrupt the Derby and shone the spotlight on our broken relationship with other animals and the natural world.
“We’re a nation of animal lovers … it’s entirely possible for us to come together and build a better, kinder world.”
