A "pro-test" is apparently a protest in favor of biomedical research. On April 22nd, 2009 at 11:30, scientists, students and patients are being invited to one such protest at UCLA. More information is available at the UCLA pro-test website.

UCLA scientists have been the targets of a campaign of violence aimed at ending animal research. UCLA has an official statement that summarizes the history of this movement. This campaign, while violent, and in at least one case effective (one research actually resigned after his family was threatened), seems very poorly run. A molotov cocktail intended for a UCLA professor was left on the doorstep of a house some number of blocks away from the researcher's home. Cars in the Palms area of Los Angles (not too far from UCLA) were firebombed, but didn't actually belong to anyone having to do with research. A bomb intended to kill another researcher was poorly made and never actually went off.

I don't know if we should be more or less frightened of incompetent anti-science extremists. I do know, however, that there is absolutely no defensible reason to use violence to halt animal research. There are many peaceful, legal ways to provide input to the system. There is a debate to be had as to when it is appropriate to use animal research subjects and when it is not, and there are plenty of extreme examples to be found on both sides. Unfortunately, the ethics of animal research debate almost always devolves into an irrational shouting match, and even violence, which certainly won't get us anywhere.