Sticking a little with some Brits who have been killed in their belief for the rights of animals, this year on 1st February we did not publish anything on Jill as we were heavily involved with the German pig campaign. We know would have wanted us to do something current for the animals. But now we have a bit more time; here is information on Jill who was killed at a live animal export protest in 1995. Some of you will know about here; some overseas visitors may not.
Recent post:
https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2020/02/19/in-loving-memory-of-mike-hill/
I remember the ‘Jill’ incident well; as I was personally involved with live calf exports around that time from the port of Dover, Kent, SE England.
Top – me at Dover shaking a crated John Major warmly by the neck; bottom:
the then Prime Minister John Major is shoved in a veal crate. Alongside – a liberated calf !
Jill was aged just 31; was a British animal rights activist who was crushed to death during an animal rights protest in Baginton, Warwickshire, England, while she was trying to slow down a lorry transporting live veal calves heading for continental Europe via Coventry Airport.
On 1 February 1995, Phipps was one of 35 protesters at Coventry Airport in Baginton, protesting at the export of live calves to Amsterdam for distribution across Europe. Ten protesters broke through police lines and were trying to bring the lorry to a halt by sitting in the road or chaining themselves to it when Phipps was crushed beneath the lorry’s wheels; her fatal injuries included a broken spine. Phipps’ death received a large amount of publicity, being brought up at Prime Minister’s question time in the House of Commons.
The Crown Prosecution Service decided there was no evidence to bring any charges against the truck driver. Phipps’ family blamed the police for her death, because the police appeared determined to keep the convoy of calf carrying lorries moving despite the protest. The inquest heard that the driver may have been distracted by a protester running into the road ahead of him, who was being removed by a policeman. A verdict of accidental death was returned and Phipps’ father insisted that she did not want to die as she had a young son to live for.
Veal calf exports from Coventry Airport ended months later, when the aviation firm belonging to the pilot responsible for the veal flights, one Christopher Barrett-Jolly, went bankrupt following accusations of running guns from Slovakia to Sudan in breach of EU rules. One of the planes used to transport the calves also crashed in the UK, when returning empty from a calf delivery flight. https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/coventry-news-plane-crash-1994-12346964
Barrett – Jolly
In 2002 Barrett-Jolly was charged with smuggling 271 kg of cocaine worth £22 Million from Jamaica into Southend airport which is located in the South East of England. He was later sentenced to twenty years in prison. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2002/dec/06/theairlineindustry.drugs
The continuing level of protest was such that several local councils and a harbour board banned live animal exports from their localities. All live exports of calves later stopped due to fears of BSE infection. In 2006 this ban was lifted, but Coventry Airport pledged that it would refuse requests to fly veal calves.
Jill paid the ultimate for her belief in saving animals. On 1st February every year since her death 25 years ago, grassroots animal rights remembrance services in the name of Jill are held all over England and the UK.
She was much to young to die the way she did in the defense of animals – she still had so many years to give to the movement. Sadly, her life was cut short on that fateful day in 95. Jill’s day will always be marled as a day of unity for animal rights campaigners across the UK.
Regards; for Jill
It still hurts and upsets me; a beautiful girl; 25 years on; all she wanted was a world of compassion;
Mark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=9&v=78o0Uh9J_aQ&feature=emb_logo
Other Links:
https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2019/04/19/some-questions-about-the-case-jill-phipps/
World Animals Voice 