Published Date: 06 January 2011 By Chris Broom
full article: http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/newshome/Activist-targeted-bank-in-animal.6681167.jp

An animal rights activist has admitted his role in a crime campaign targeting businesses supporting an animal testing lab. Thomas Harris, 29, changed his plea to guilty on a charge of conspiracy to cause criminal damage before a trial at Winchester Crown Court.

Harris, formerly of Clarence Road, Gosport, admitted his role in planning attacks on four branches of Barclays Bank in Hampshire including Park Gate and Bishop's Waltham in September 2008.

The banks, targeted for trading in shares for Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS), were daubed with painted slogans such as 'Scum', 'Murderers' and 'ALF', short for Animal Liberation Front.

A van belonging to a Fedex employee was covered with similar slogans and had its tyres slashed in Wickham the same month.

And a family had its car covered in paint thinner in a case of mistaken identity.

All the targets were believed by activists to be connected to HLS in Cambridgeshire and were part of a wider campaign to close the labs.

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