There is demo called by Animal Rising at 8PM today, Thursday 11th, at Scotland Yard, London SW1A 2JL. On Sunday at 5pm armed police responded to a call and shot 2 dogs. There was a protest called at Limehouse police station on Tuesday 9th, Freedom spoke with the organiser: On Sunday two dogs on a lead were shot dead by the police on the Popular section of the canal. The video footage of the atrocities showed the completely inept and untrained police with live firearms shooting at a homeless man’s dogs, ultimately killing them in front of screaming public on a sunny day. A shotgun was used on the street which goes against police policy guidance, a blasting round used, which is not meant to be used for killing. One dog was shot with a pistol twice and then shot with a shotgun. The dogs were registered with the charity Dogs on the Streets. There are thousands of trained riot officers and dog handlers in London alone so why were 5 armed officers present with only a riot shield at the back, no protective gear, no dog handlers? Why were the dogs shot rather than tasered? Two dogs died without so much as a trial, an assessment or a properly trained dog handler. There was no need for the death of the dogs.

There is another demo called by Animal Rising at 8PM today, Thursday 11th, at Scotland Yard, London SW1A 2JL, to honour the lives of these dogs and hold the Met Police accountable. Please bring placards, flowers, and rainproof clothes – we will provide vegan candles to share. This behaviour is completely unacceptable; it follows a weekend of exceptionally heavy policing with people across London. What we have experienced this week is a loss of our democratic rights, but it will not deter us.

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Feature image: @rollie_diggaholey Images: Guy Smallman