Demo at Westminster for Debate on UK Ivory Trade, London – Feb 2017

On 6 February 2017 we gathered outside Westminster where a ban on the UK ivory trade was being debated in Parliament. The debate was triggered by a petition reaching 100,000 signatures. We were joined by Born Free FoundationIFAW, Humane Society International, and other groups. The action aimed to draw public and media attention to the urgent need for the government to implement a ban on ivory trade, which it had been promising since 2010.  Our letters to the prime minister in 2016 and 2017, signed by top conservationists, NGOs, members of Parliament, and many more, were covered by the press and helped keep the pressure on the government to produce a strong ban. Finally, in October 2017 the government announced a proposal for a total ban on ivory sales in the UK, to be preceded by a 12-week consultation.  See UK’s Ivory Trade timeline

The issues behind the debate: Elephants in crisis: MPs accuse government and Europe of dragging their feet over ivory ban (The Guardian)