Nowhere is the war over animal rights hottest than in the controversy over the use of animals in scientific research. On April 22, more than 400 University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) scientists and their supporters held a campus rally to defend research using animals and to protest the violence of some animal rights supporters. The protest was led by UCLA neuroscientist David Jentch. Jentch's car was reportedly set on fire and destroyed by animal rights activists. The activists oppose Jentch because he uses and sometimes kills vervet monkeys in his research. Among Jentch's supporters was Dana Gant, who said she attended the rally to mark her opposition to protesters' anti-research violence. She carried a sign saying, "Animal Research Saved My Mom."
At the same time, people opposed to animal use in research marched at UCLA to mark the annual observance of World Laboratory Animal Liberation Week. They chanted slogans such as "Monkey Abuser" and "Murderer." Michael Budkie, one of the anti-research leaders, described the use of animals in research as "cruel and inhumane."