Page 45 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine Issue 112

BV112 pg45 NARD15.qxp_BV112 pg 45 24/06/2025 21:36 Page 1

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national animal rights day

unday June 1st was National Animal Rights Day, AKA NARD. formances. Speakers included Ronnie Lee, one of the founding mem-
SThe day sees animal rights events take place around the world. bers of the Animal Liberation Front, Ayrton Cooper of Animal Justice
NARD began back in 2011, when activists came together in New York Project, David James of Camp Beagle and Isabelle Keane, a young an-
under the name ‘Our Planet. Theirs Too.’ Since then, the event has imal advocate, patron of Camp Beagle, and a great hope for the future
grown, with over 150 cities around the world now participating in ac- of animal rights. Paul Holroyd, a vegan poet, read some of his poetry,
tivism. Black Velvet headed to Birmingham to take place in the march Abi Foster sang and played guitar, while Vegan Queen V wrapped up
and rally in Birmingham city centre. When everyone had gathered in the event with a set of her animal rights-inspired songs. 2025 was
Victoria Square at 11am, a march soon kicked off, and saw activists NARD 15, and, while we hope that there are many more NARD events
marching through the city centre streets with banners and placards. It for years to come, we also wish we wouldn’t need to stand up and
was a silent march, so there was no banging of drums or chanting. The speak on behalf of animals and wish animal cruelty was a thing of the
event commemorates the billions of animals who die every year by past.
human hands, whether it be from factory farming, laboratory testing, If you care about animals, join us at the next event. Visit
blood sports and more. The march took a circular route, with everyone https://thenard.org for more info.
heading back to Victoria Square for a number of speeches and per- Words & Photos By Shari Black Velvet

NARD 15