A CHAIN of laboratories which breed animals for medical research has won a High Court injunction banning protestors from wearing “blood stained clothing” outside their offices.

Harlan Laboratories UK Limited experienced demonstrations at its site in Harlan Blackthorn, in Station Road, Blackthorn, near Bicester.

Protests by the National Anti-Vivisection Alliance (NAVA), and backed by Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty, began in April. Activists wore blood-stained costumes, which they say represent the “slaughter” of animals.

But the protests were curtailed by a court order issued last month.

The injunction, limited the protests to one per week and cut the numbers of people allowed to demonstrate to 20. It also banned blood-stained clothes.

The High Court relaxed some of the restrictions on the protestors earlier this week, but refused any use of blood-stained clothing.

Mrs Justice Nicola Davies said: “I accept the defendants have a right to protest, but that must be balanced with other rights.

“The workers seeing blood stained clothing are capable of being caused harassment and distress,” she said, directing the ban be maintained until a hearing on the casein October.

The judge however relaxed other restrictions on the protests, upping the number allowed to demonstrate to 25 and lengthening their maximum duration from two to three hours.