Call for Solidarity with Scientists in Milan affected by Animal Rights Extremism

On April 20, 2013 a group of animal rights extremists invaded laboratories at the University of Milan, illegally removed about 100 animals and destroyed numerous highly valuable research projects. The attack was covered in national and international media.

We, the signatories, call for solidarity and support for the affected researchers and

• ask society to trust in our scientists and raise any concerns about what we do – and how we do it - in an open, transparent dialogue, based on mutual candor and respect;
• call upon the media to provide fair, balanced and fact-based coverage on biomedical research issues, acknowledging that science is intrinsically complex, yet an essential basis for all knowledge-based economies;
• ask moderate animal welfare organizations to distance themselves from any acts of extremism, while using legitimate platforms and individual dialogue to raise their legitimate concerns;
• call upon police, law enforcement agencies and policy makers to apply a "zero-tolerance" strategy towards any acts of animal rights extremism;
• ask everyone who is concerned about progress in the area of neuroscience to submit proposals to www.basel-declaration.org on how the financial damage of our Milan colleagues can be alleviated