Protesters brave windy conditions to protest Laura Friedman’s bill about animal research

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Women with Progress for Science, on a very windy afternoon, attempt to put together protest signs at California Assemblymember Laura Friedman’s district office in Burbank on Wednesday, April 10, 2019. Assemblymember Friedman introduced AB-700, a bill that would block access to information about how animals are being used in science. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Protesters, with Progress for Science, on Magnolia Avenue at California Assemblymember Laura Friedman’s district office in Burbank on Wednesday, April 10, 2019. Assemblymember Friedman introduced AB-700, a bill that would block access to information about how animals are being used in science. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Protester Kimberley King, right, after chasing a protest sign that had been swept from the hands of a protester during a strong gust of wind, looks at its condition with organizer Cory Mac, with Progress for Science, at California Assemblymember Laura Friedman’s district office in Burbank on Wednesday, April 10, 2019. The sign was blown into a car, and run over. Assemblymember Friedman introduced AB-700, a bill that would block access to information about how animals are being used in science. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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A couple of men look to see what a small group of Science for Progress protesters are doing in front of California Assemblymember Laura Friedman’s district office in Burbank on Wednesday, April 10, 2019. Assemblymember Friedman introduced AB-700, a bill that would block access to information about how animals are being used in science. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Emek Echo, of Los Angeles, works on her protest sign at a protest by Progress for Science at California Assemblymember Laura Friedman’s district office in Burbank on Wednesday, April 10, 2019. Assemblymember Friedman introduced AB-700, a bill that would block access to information about how animals are being used in science. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Emek Echo, of Los Angeles, with a small group of Progress for Science, protests against California Assemblymember Laura Friedman in front of her district office in Burbank on Wednesday, April 10, 2019. Assemblymember Friedman introduced AB-700, a bill that would block access to information about how animals are being used in science. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Building manager Sam politely asks a group of protesters, who got into the private space of the business building to get out of stiff wind to put together their protest signs, to move as they prepare for a protest by Progress for Science at California Assemblymember Laura Friedman’s district office in Burbank on Wednesday, April 10, 2019. Assemblymember Friedman introduced AB-700, a bill that would block access to information about how animals are being used in science. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Protesters with Progress for Science work together to put together protest signs at California Assemblymember Laura Friedman’s district office in Burbank on Wednesday, April 10, 2019. Assemblymember Friedman introduced AB-700, a bill that would block access to information about how animals are being used in science. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Protester Kimberley King, right, after chasing a protest sign that had been swept from the hands of a protester during a strong gust of wind, returns it to organizer Cory Mac with Progress for Science at California Assemblymember Laura Friedman’s district office in Burbank on Wednesday, April 10, 2019. The sign was blown into a car, and run over. Assemblymember Friedman introduced AB-700, a bill that would block access to information about how animals are being used in science. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

By Anthony Clark Carpio

April 12, 2019 4:48 PM PT

About a dozen protesters stood outside the district office of Assemblywoman Laura Friedman (D-Glendale) in Burbank on Wednesday voicing their disapproval of a bill she introduced they say could make it more difficult to get information about animal research conducted by colleges and universities.

Although strong wind gusts made it difficult for them to hold their signs, the group of animal-rights activists — who also pointed out they are taxpayers — braved the strong wind conditions to let the public know about AB 700.

Cory Mac, a member of a grassroots group called Progress for Science, said Friedman’s bill, if passed, would make it more difficult for people to access public records that involve research about animals at post-secondary educational institutions.

“This bill would put heavy restrictions on what we can ask for,” Mac said. “This bill would restrict disclosure of researchers’ names, researchers’ addresses, etc.”

Additionally, Mac said, as a taxpayer, she and others should know if their money is being used for animal-research projects.

“When you use taxpayer money on animal research, you’re taking money away from clinical studies,” Mac said. “There’s a lot of [animal] research that gets through that should never happen, and one of the safeguards against that is using public-record requests.”

The Assembly bill was introduced by Friedman in February and aims to protect researchers at public universities and colleges in the state from having their work interrupted by corporate interests, Friedman said in a statement on Friday.

“It was never intended to obscure animal research, and I am currently working with animal welfare advocates on amendments to make that clear,” Friedman said, adding that she was in Sacramento on Wednesday. “At the end of the day, we’re on the same side. We all want to preserve transparency, and we also want reasonable standards that protect our public universities from attacks by well-funded corporate interests seeking to undermine research that benefits the environment, public health and the economy.”

John Hays was also one of the protesters in front of Friedman’s office on Wednesday. His said he thinks the Assemblywoman’s bill is “the latest in a series of similar measures that suppress anyone who’s trying to speak on behalf of abuse and exploited animals.”

Hays said bills like this get in the way of people who are trying to learn the truth about something. In this case, it’s about knowing what is being done to animals in research labs.

“Whenever these things are being hidden by any entity — government, commercial interests or whomever — there’s usually something there that they are worried about, scared about or maybe secretly ashamed of,” Hays said. “It’s up for us to expose it and put it out into the open.”

anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com

Twitter: @acocarpio