Vegan Prisoners Support Group
Encyclopedia
The Vegan Prisoners Support Group (VPSG) is an organization based in the United Kingdom
that provides support for vegans in prison, primarily vegans who are imprisoned for animal rights
activity. There are around 800 vegans in British jails at any given time.
It complements the work of the Animal Liberation Front Supporters Group (ALFSG), which offers moral and financial support to imprisoned animal rights activists. The VPSG is purely concerned with ensuring vegans in prison have access to suitable food, clothing and toiletries.
The group was founded in April 1994 by British animal rights activist Jo-Ann Brown. She originally formed it to help Keith Mann
, a prominent activist who was jailed for 11 years in 1994 for criminal damage and attempted arson.
Since then, VPSG's work has grown, and it has been called upon to advise the prisons ombudsman on disputes between prisoners and the prison service relating to vegan diets. The group succeeded in 2009 in obtaining for prisoners the right to place mail orders for vegan products from healthfood stores.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
that provides support for vegans in prison, primarily vegans who are imprisoned for animal rights
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
activity. There are around 800 vegans in British jails at any given time.
It complements the work of the Animal Liberation Front Supporters Group (ALFSG), which offers moral and financial support to imprisoned animal rights activists. The VPSG is purely concerned with ensuring vegans in prison have access to suitable food, clothing and toiletries.
The group was founded in April 1994 by British animal rights activist Jo-Ann Brown. She originally formed it to help Keith Mann
Keith Mann
Keith Mann is a British animal rights campaigner and writer, alleged by police in 2005 to be at the top of the Animal Liberation Front pyramid. He is the author of From Dusk 'til Dawn: An Insider's View of the Growth of the Animal Liberation Movement...
, a prominent activist who was jailed for 11 years in 1994 for criminal damage and attempted arson.
Since then, VPSG's work has grown, and it has been called upon to advise the prisons ombudsman on disputes between prisoners and the prison service relating to vegan diets. The group succeeded in 2009 in obtaining for prisoners the right to place mail orders for vegan products from healthfood stores.