"Grand National Anticipates Disruption as Over 300 Protesters Plan to Interfere with Famous Race"

Aintree racecourse is bracing itself for what may be the most significant and potentially disruptive protests against the Grand National in many years this coming Saturday. Animal Rising, a campaign group, is planning to use tactics employed by Just Stop Oil protesters recently to try and prevent the world’s most famous steeplechase from taking place. The group aims to have 300 protesters storm the track before the race is due to start at 5.15pm BST.

The last time the Grand National was declared void was 30 years ago. A delay to the start aggravated serious flaws in the starting and recall processes whilst a small group of protesters were removed from the track. Animal Aid has staged a small protest outside Aintree station in subsequent years, but Animal Rising aims to disrupt the racecourse on a larger scale, both inside and outside the perimeter.

“We plan on using the slow-march tactics that Just Stop Oil have used in recent months to obstruct the access road to Aintree throughout the morning,” said Nathan McGovern, a spokesperson for Animal Rising. “As we get towards the Grand National race itself, we plan on some 300-plus people to peacefully make their way towards the entrances to Aintree, towards the fences and walls at the front of the racecourse, to attempt to make their way over and through and eventually on to the track before the Grand National begins, to prevent the race from starting.”

Animal Rising’s protest at Aintree will be the first of a series of actions this summer. “Animal Rising plan on similar disruption to other large events in the animal so-called sports calendar, alongside rescuing animals openly and handing ourselves in afterwards, from factory farms for example,” McGovern added. “In terms of people who’ve taken action with us over the last year, arrestable action specifically, it [Animal Rising’s membership] is 400 to 500, and in the past three weeks we’ve trained around a further 500 people in non-violent direct action.”

Aintree racecourse had prior warning from an undercover investigation by the Mail on Sunday this month about the possible return of protest action. A spokesperson for the course said: “We respect the right to peaceful protest but sincerely hope that Animal Rising reflect on whether their proposed actions are legitimate and responsible. Their actions could endanger the horses they purport to protect, as well as jockeys, officials, and themselves.”

The Grand National is also the most popular betting race of the year in Britain. A sell-out crowd of 70,000 is expected at Aintree for Saturday’s race, which was first run in 1839, and its overall value to racing, the betting industry, and the local economy has been estimated at £0.5bn.