'Frisco action against the deaf ears of vivisectionists

[Guest guest]

SAN FRANCISCO -- Notorious animal researcher, Steven Cheung, will be sued

for having peaceful demonstrators arrested outside his house. The

complaint

alleges false arrest, abuse of process, and violation of civil rights.

 

On Dec. 16, 2000, thirty demonstrators gathered at Cheung's residence to

protest against his experiments at U.C. San Francisco. The demonstrators

carried posters showing monkeys in medical restraint devices and some

protestors chanted antivivisection slogans. Cheung issued a citizens

arrest

against the demonstrators for disturbing the peace, a crime which requires

the willful and malicious disturbing of another with unreasonable and loud

noise. As no laws were violated, all charges were dropped by the San

Francisco city attorney before their arraignment.

 

" The arrest was made to remove us, not for disturbing the peace. We stood

on

public property, on a Saturday evening, and were completely peaceful, "

said

plaintiff Jerry Friedman. " The officer who handcuffed me apologized for

the

arrest, telling me he thought it was unnecessary. "

 

Cheung was uncovered when he attempted to buy speakers normally purchased

by

sports stadiums and rock concert halls. Cheung's tax-funded experiments

called for deafening six squirrel monkeys by subjecting them to the

noise-equivalent of jet engines at take off. The store owner refused to

sell

the speakers, and notified In Defense of Animals, a San Francisco animal

protection organization.

 

" I find this research project to contain numerous omissions, scientific

errors, inconsistencies, misstatements, and what may well be deliberate

evasions... I am amazed that this project has received approval for

funding

by UCSF. " -Dr. Bette Lazzaro, Assistant Professor of Pathology, Medical

College of Wisconsin.

 

" As a scientist with great regard and respect for primates and other

animals, I am very distressed and saddened to hear of your approval of Dr.

Steven Cheung's use of monkeys in his hearing research. This type of

experiment is wrong for many reasons: it is cruel, outdated, and

financially

wasteful. " -Dr. Jane Goodall

 

The public is invited to be at the Small Claims Court hearing, Jan. 25 at

1:30 p.m., 400 McAllister Street, Room 506, San Francisco.

 

For more information, contact Jerry Friedman, jerry,

714-321-1211.