Unwitting British taxpayers may have been funding violent animal rights protests. Eleven “‘key players’ among animal rights extremists” were arrested last week on charges of stealing “tens of thousands of pounds” from the government to promote their agenda. The alleged scheme: They fraudulently applied for government education grants, then used the loot to pay for animal rights agitation, often with the aim of limiting the choices people have at meal time. “What we have uncovered we believe is an example of crimes used to further sometimes very violent and dangerous protests,” said a constable with the British National Crime Squad.