Unrepentant eco-freaks vowed to cause a ‘summer of animal uprising’ last night after their plot to sabotage the grand national was exposed.
More than 100 members of Animal Rebellion, an offshoot of extinction rebellion – plan to use bolt cutters and ladders to break through the security fences and sneak into Aintree, before teaming up to form a human barricade across the countryside.
The conspiracy, uncovered by a Mail On Sunday reporter, comes just two weeks before the famous horse race takes place on April 15.
It attracts a global television audience of 600 million, as well as tens of thousands of viewers in the field.
In an online meeting last night, activists also revealed plans to break into farms and animal rescues, disrupt diners at restaurants and block supermarket aisles.
This Animal Rebellion member is award-winning business journalist Jim Edwards, former founding editor of the UK edition of the financial news website Business Insider.
Attempting to attract recruits by asking if this would be ‘the last Grand National’, the group encouraged would-be eco-fans to ‘bring your mates’.
They also pledged to stop traffic in Britain, the same tactic used by Just Stop Oil to cause chaos on crucial roads and highways last year.
The militants asked fellow activist group and Extinction Rebellion to join them in the disruption as part of their ‘summer of animal uprising’.
The group’s leaders also cynically tried to turn the exhibition around to launch a promotional campaign for a meeting about their plan to disrupt the race.
Attempting to entice recruits by asking if this would be ‘the last Grand National’, the group encouraged would-be eco-fans to ‘bring your mates’, adding: ‘This is one you don’t want to miss.’
Rose Patterson, a member of Animal Rebellion and leader of the plot, gloated yesterday: “An undercover Mail on Sunday reporter will not stop teachers, nurses and more from taking action for a lifetime and really starting the crucial conversation about our broken relationship with Other animals”.
“This conversation is vital if we are to address the root causes of our climate and ecological crisis.”
She described the Grand National as “a symbol of this broken relationship.”
In response, Merseyside Police revealed that they have a “robust policing plan” in place to thwart the plans of the vegan mob and vowed that illegal protests “will not be tolerated”.
More than 100 Animal Rebellion members plan to use shears and ladders to break through security fences
One of the ringleaders of the plot, Rose Patterson, 33, (pictured) boasted that the Grand National stunt would have a global impact.
The tactic to disrupt a popular British sporting event mirrors the dangerous track invasion by members of Just Stop Oil at last year’s British Grand Prix.
Several members of the group were dragged off the Silverstone circuit as Formula One cars passed by, risking “serious injury” to drivers, stewards and themselves.
Last week, climate protesters were spared from jail after a judge said their motive “was not to cause harm, but to express their concerns about climate change.”
The extraordinary revelations came after a Mail on Sunday reporter, posing as a member of Animal Rebellion, joined activists for a training day in Dalston, east London. Undercover footage filmed by the reporter, who first infiltrated the group in November, showed the activists simulating charging through a line of security guards and a ringleader bragging they would “ruin” the horse race. .
Miss Patterson, 33, was arrested in February after she and four other people blocked Westminster Bridge.
The conspiracy, revealed just two weeks before the race meeting, was discovered by an MoS reporter posing as a member of the Animal Rebellion campaign group.
A secret plot by more than 100 eco-activists to sabotage the Grand National has been exposed by an undercover investigation by the Mail on Sunday.
She told campaigners: “We have 600 million people watching this horse race around the world, we have £300 million betting on the horse race and we are going to screw it up.”
Those behind the latest plot have claimed it will “set off” more protests at other horse races this summer.
Activists were told that once on the course they would glue their hands together before sitting down to form a human barrier.
The Countryside Alliance congratulated the Mail on Sunday on its investigation, warning: “The animal rebellion, though small in number, is becoming increasingly dangerous.”
Also praising the Mail on Sunday inquiry, Conservative MP Damian Green, acting chairman of the Commons culture committee, condemned the “ghastly” plot.
Conservative MP Alicia Kearns said: “Using these sorts of tactics to enforce your militant opposition to meat eating will only backfire.”
The Jockey Club, which owns Aintree Racecourse, declined to comment.