Protestors Shut Down Racing at Golden Gate Fields

[Wandering Eyes]

The Thursday racing card at Golden Gate Fields was in jeopardy after animal rights protesters ran on to the track before the first race and chained themselves together. The first race was scheduled to go off at 12:45 Pacific Time. As of 1:15, no races had been held.

The protest was staged by a group called Direct Action Everywhere, which is live streaming the goings-on on their Facebook site,

According to Cassie King, a spokesperson for the group, the four individuals were locked together to form a human blockade. They were connected by thick steel pipes.

The protestors ran onto the track at about noon.

“Their goal is to be there long enough so that they can't race today,” King said. “The first race was scheduled to go off at 12:45 and that obviously hasn't happened because they haven't moved them yet. Our bigger goal, which we are trying to get support behind, is to shut down Golden Gate Fields permanently.”

At about 1:20 p.m., police officers or security personnel were on the track hovering over the protestors but didn't seem prepared to take any immediate action.

“The activists in this blockade are prepared to be arrested,” King said.

King was clearly misinformed about what makes up a racing card as she repeatedly said that only two races were scheduled on the day and that the second one was set to go off at about three hours after the first.

King said the group decided to take action because, she said, three horses had died there over a recent four-week period and that five had died during the current meet.

“This is obviously not just because of those four horses or five horses this season. It's the entire industry,” she said.

The group's goal, she added was to end horse racing in the U.S.

At 1:47 Pacific time, police approached the protestors but walked away, seemingly not knowing how to unlock the group from one another.

This story will be updated.

 

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