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thedrifter
03-30-09, 01:35 PM
Three protest with PETA group in Jacksonville

March 30, 2009 - 10:20 AM

Updated at 1:22 p.m.

Three members of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals protested at the corner of Hargett Street and Lejeune Boulevard this afternoon, but have ended the demonstration.

The PETA members silently held signs reading "stop cruel military trauma training on animals" and other related messages, from noon to 1 p.m. They also handed out pamphlets asking people to contact their congressional representative to "urge President Obama to issue an executive order requiring the DoD to replace the use of animals in trauma- and chemical casualty-training exercises with available non-animal methods."

Campaigner Kate Brindle said the group was protesting the Marine Corps' use of live pigs and goats in training.

The protest, originally planned for the corner of Western and Lejeune boulevards in Jacksonville at noon today, was denied a group permit from the Jacksonville Police Department for that location. They were instead granted a permit for the Hargett location.

A press release sent out by PETA prior to the demonstration said the protest was "in response to a whistleblower's report that medics at the facility allegedly break goats' limbs with bolt cutters and then kill the animals." According to PETA, the whistleblower said Camp Lejeune medics use live goats as "stand-ins" for wounded soldiers before killing them as a part of a trauma-training exercise.

PETA sent a letter to Camp Lejeune commanding officer Col. Rich Flatau in February, requesting an investigation into the possible use of animals in trauma training. read the letter http://video.onset.freedom.com/jdn/khbslc-lettertocamplejeune.pdf.

Camp Lejeune spokesmen have not responded to questions sent in February about that letter or the training.

Ellie

Indran Fernando from Kirksville, Missouri and Michele Castillo from Jacksonville protest with the group PETA on Hargett Street.