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The protesters, which VetNurse.co.uk understands comprise six veterinary surgeons and 30-40 pet owners, started their march in Parliament Square and are now bearing down on the RCVS Headquarters in Horseferry Road.
The campaigners are, we are told, protesting against the RCVS position statement on complementary and homeopathic veterinary medicines.
No word yet on how the College proposes to defend itself from the hoard; certainly no sign of any cauldrons of boiling oil atop the battlements, nor any riot police yet in evidence.
More news as it happens. VetNurse.co.uk has a photographer on the ground ...
UPDATES
1:00pm: The protesters have arrived at Belgravia House. A couple of protesters are armed with umbrellas, presumably to guard against the ever-present risk of overdose. It's getting messy: we're hearing that they've blocked the pavement. Wait up. Someone has emerged from the College to speak with them. Well hello, Mr President.
1:01pm: We were hoping that some of the protesters might, I dunno, handcuff themselves to Belgravia House or something. But after a tense standoff lasting over 36 seconds, it looks like the protest is petering out already. Apparently they've started dispersing to the park opposite.
1:02pm: Yup, they've all gone off to the park now. This may go down as one of the shortest protests in history.
1:16pm: Word has it they've headed off to the White Horse and Bower.More photos of this momentous occasion to follow ...
1. The seasoned campaigner is always careful to choose any banner that appears over their head with great care.
2. It was a beautiful march. A big march. The bigliest. Haven't seen that many people on the street since Donald Trump's inauguration.
3. The RCVS headquarters under siege.
4. Millie the dog (perhaps better called 'Millie the anecdote') illustrates the flawed thinking behind homeopathy.
5. Nobody told this campaigner than homeopathy wasn't banned in the first place. You can get it from any tap.
6. RCVS President, Professor Stephen May, presumably wishing he'd taken the day off work.
7. It took some hours moments before the crowd dispersed fully and life in London was able to return to normal.
3.43pm: The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has issued a statement following the march, which says:
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons today met a delegation of around 40 animal owners and veterinary surgeons who wished to voice their concern about a recent position statement by RCVS Council on the use of complementary and alternative medicines, including homeopathy.
President Stephen May and CEO Lizzie Lockett received a copy of an online petition that was set up following the statement, which has since received around 15,000 signatures, including around 11,000 from supporters in the UK.
Stephen and Lizzie also took time to hear accounts and stories from the supporters, and to listen to the points they wished to raise.
In view of the cold, wet weather, the College had laid on some hot drinks for all the visitors, and invited the delegation inside, but these were declined.
Stephen said: "We were pleased to be able to meet our visitors today and to receive their petition, although it was a little tricky trying to answer questions on a busy London pavement!
"We continue to recognise that homeopathy and other complementary therapies are popular amongst some animal owners and certain members of the veterinary profession, as indicated by today’s delegation, but it is worth reiterating that the RCVS Council statement does not ban their use.
"What it does state, is that in order to protect animal welfare, we regard such treatments as being complementary, rather than alternative, to treatments for which there is a recognised evidence base or which are based on sound scientific principles.
"This is similar to the position that we have held on complementary therapies for many years, but we will always be happy to receive and consider scientific evidence that demonstrates their efficacy."
I wouldn't hold your breath.
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sarah worboys There's a big, big difference between 'natural' and homeopathy. Homeopathy was invented by some bloke in the 1700's, since when it has been completely discredited as scientifically impossible. It is equally cruel and immoral to promote things which are known to be ineffective to vulnerable and often desperate people, and as the parent of a chronically sick child, I speak with first hand experience.
Good. I'm so tired of cruel and immoral pharmaceutical companies running the show and natural healing practices discredited.
The less people that turn out for these marches the more effective they will be....
The caption on photo number 2 - classic!!
Arlo Guthrie its rare that we disagree mate so I'm glad you share my reservations.. I also completely agree with you. I'm just not brave enough to be the one doing the ribbing ( normally) haha
jojofruits - It might seem otherwise, but actually I share your reservations. But I do think there's an important principle at stake. We live in the 'post-truth' era where everyone is allowed to tout their beliefs as fact, and science is coming under attack like never before. And the problem is that there is no arguing with 'belief'. It doesn't matter how much scientific evidence one shows a 'believer', they simply cannot bring themselves to believe that the evidence of their own eyes may be wrong (that their dog did not get better because they gave them a dilution of 1/1,000,000,000,000,000 of brick dust). That being the case, perhaps the only solution is a bit of gentle ribbing so that others can see the absurdity of it all, before being taken in by it. On other words, you'll never persuade a believer, but you might prevent others from falling for it.
jojofruits a timely warning but people are allowed to debate and differ in opinion. I agree it can be a fine-line though.
This did make me chuckle .. however, there are some vets demonstrating there and I think this is a very public forum to take the pee! maybe I'm very old fashioned but I've had it drilled into me not to talk badly of fellow professionals even if they are talking a load of old tosh!
Surely if it's a homeopathy protest, it just needs one very focussed word uttered one protester, concentrating very hard, to arrive in a massive oversized truck, with a cryptic personalised number plate, to have maximum impact.
Absolutely brilliant, well written article!