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Camden New Journal - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published: 12 November 2009
 
Opposition to ‘superlab’ plans must be peaceful

• THE BLISS (British Library International Science Site) or UKCMRI (UK Centre for Medical Research & Innovation) consortium are submitting their planning application to build their superlab on the Brill Place site in St Pancras.
Councillors have asked local residents to attend the development control committee meeting which will consider this next year.
Campaigners who have visited the site have been shocked at its proximity to people’s homes.
The site is also very close to St Pancras International station, which is good reason for residents and campaigners to oppose the plan.
We are also told that swine flu and foot and mouth disease were leaked from laboratories, provoking national and international emergencies, movement restrictions and even quarantine.
A leak of viruses such as those in central London would have devastating effects on residents and the economy of not only London and its financial institutions but further afield.
The consortium have included on their website an article from The Times which claims that in the event of an explosion at a lab, “germs would be dispersed by… flames or explosion, which although it sounds dangerous is actually quite reassuring.”
There is nothing reassuring about it.
The site is mere feet away from St Pancras International and any such germ dispersal would infect the Channel tunnel and Europe.
An explosion could kill tourists, commuters, and residents.
Reassuring indeed.
There is also the question of how campaigns against the lab will affect the community. There would be constant and intrusive surveillance of residents and in particular the Muslim community who could find themselves under MI5 surveillance just because they live here.
The area and its people might well be targeted under terror legislation or by far right extremist groups which have tried to hijack animal rights campaigns.
While we support anybody who opposes the superlab proposal, we cannot support anyone who plans to oppose it using extremist or terrorist methods.
The opposition must be peaceful and reasonable.
Residents can find more information about the potential risks from the lab in 50 Ways To F**k The Planet: Armageddon are you doing your bit? by Mark Townsend and David Glick
Mandy Ford
Stop Camden Bio Hazard Lab and Animal Lab
Caledonian Road, London N1


Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, Camden New Journal, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@thecnj.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Tuesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld. Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number. Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

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