One person has been arrested and 64 others were given a promise to appear roadside arrest following a protest at Excelsior Hog Farms in Abbotsford.
Hundreds of protestors descended onto the farm early on Sunday morning, with a handful entering buildings housing pigs.
The groups arrived in school buses at the farm on Harris Road at approximately 6:30 a.m., with police responding shortly after 7 a.m.
Police then closed Harris Road at both ways connecting the farm, as police dealt with protestors inside who refused to leave.
While protestors were outside, several dozen more sat outside with signs and sang songs.
Media on hand were told at approximately 8:30 a.m. that they would be allowed to tour the facility, but that then became a negotiation with police and veterinary staff on hand. The vet staff stated that the animals were stressed out and only a small number of media could enter.
Select media were allowed to tour the facility at around 11 a.m., with Black Press being one of the given the chance to tour.
The farm recently became a controversial site that allegedly showed the corpses of dead piglets among live animals at the location.
BREAKING: Bus loads of protestors have arrived at Excelsior Hog Farm in
含羞草研究社� Ben Lypka (@BenLypka)
FACEBOOK LIVE FROM THE SCENE:
The groups arrived in school buses at the farm just before 6:30 a.m., with police responding shortly after 7 a.m.
Police then closed Harris Road at both ways connecting the farm, as police dealt with protesters inside who refused to leave.
Media on hand were told at approximately 8:30 a.m. that they would be allowed to tour the facility, but that then became a negotiation with police and veterinary staff on hand. The vet staff stated that the animals were stressed out and only a small number of media could enter.
Select media were allowed to tour the facility at around 11 a.m., with Black Press among those given the chance to tour.
Those inside the farm eventually left later that afternoon, with Kelowna resident Amy Sorrano charged with breaking and entering and mischief. Sorrano identifies herself as an 含羞草研究社渁nimal liberation activist含羞草研究社� and has a Patreon page intended to promote her activism. Sorrano did not respond to a request for more information from The News.
The others inside were identified and then released by police. Abbotsford Police stated that they are continuing to investigate the incident, with possible additional charges to follow.
Farm owner Ray Binnendyk told media during the tour that it has been a difficult time for his family.
含羞草研究社淎s a family, this is very hard for us and what we含羞草研究社檝e had to deal with in the last number of weeks,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淲e really pray that everyone sees the truth about us and that we are good people trying to make a good product and raise animals to the best of our ability.含羞草研究社�
Binnendyk added that Sunday was an uncomfortable one for him and his family.
含羞草研究社淲e feel very invaded,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淥ur private property含羞草研究社� people just act like it含羞草研究社檚 all right to walk onto someone含羞草研究社檚 property.含羞草研究社�
He and his brother also expressed concern that protesters may have brought other disease or sickness onto the farm when they entered. That sentiment was echoed by the farm含羞草研究社檚 veterinarian, Josh Waddington.
含羞草研究社淲hat I hope that the public realizes is that by their actions 含羞草研究社� this group of people have put the livestock at this farm at serious health risk,含羞草研究社� he said.
Waddington said he believes some of the footage that was recorded and distributed was from a special-care section of the farm.
含羞草研究社淚n almost all production facilities, there is a hospital area where animals are gathered because they have conditions that we would like to see under treatment and observation and, in that case, that含羞草研究社檚 what was shown,含羞草研究社� he said of the PETA video. 含羞草研究社淪ome of those conditions are still here and present, and those animals are under treatment.含羞草研究社�
Dan Moskaluk, who was acting as the spokesperson for Meat The Victims, said he and his group want to raise awareness about animal cruelty.
含羞草研究社淲e are here to stand in solidarity with the animals and the purpose of this action is to expose the realities of what is happening to the victims of the meat industry,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淲e believe that people are making choices that are contrary to their values. They would not want to support this industry if they truly knew what was happening.含羞草研究社�
A press release from Meat The Victims reiterated many of Moskaluk含羞草研究社檚 points:
The aim of this action is to expose the reality of what is happening to the victims of the 含羞草研究社榤eat含羞草研究社� industry and to challenge the current mindset within our society.
The truth is being hidden from the public and we believe that people are making choices that go against their values. Most people are against animal cruelty & would not want to support this industry if they knew what was truly happening. The public has a right to know.
These industries perpetuate the 含羞草研究社榟umane myth含羞草研究社� with labels such as 含羞草研究社榣ocal,含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社榝ree range含羞草研究社�, 含羞草研究社榞rass fed含羞草研究社�, 含羞草研究社榦rganic含羞草研究社�, & 含羞草研究社榗age free含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社� all terms which are used to deceive and mislead the public into believing that animals are 含羞草研究社榟umanely raised & humanely killed.含羞草研究社� We are here to show that this is not the case. We are forcing transparency in an industry that relies on secrecy.
The needless violence inflicted upon these animals needs to stop. This facility is not unique in their horrendous treatment of animals. This is a standard representation of factory farming here in Canada. This action is not about this one facility, or a call for better animal welfare standards, but rather a call to end the inherently violent animal agriculture industry entirely.
Our message is simple: Animals are here with us, not for us.
It含羞草研究社檚 not clear when results of the SPCA investigation will be released.
Here含羞草研究社檚 a timeline of the events that transpired leading up to and on the day of the protest:
March 23 含羞草研究社� A family member of the property in the 33000 block of Harris Road (Excelsior Hog Farms) notices two cameras inside a barn and one on the outside, and notifies police of their presence. It was later determined that camera had been filming since March 15.
April 23 含羞草研究社� PETA releases a video allegedly from the farm depicting disturbing conditions.
April 28
6:25 a.m. 含羞草研究社� A group of 60 protesters exit a school bus outside the farm and illegally enter the property. A bus of other protesters line the road with signs and begin singing songs and chants.
6:45 a.m. 含羞草研究社� Abbotsford Police arrive on scene. Harris Road is blocked off from both sides connected to the farm shortly thereafter.
8:30 a.m. 含羞草研究社� Police continue negotiations with protesters inside. The protesters demand that media be allowed to tour and document what is inside.
10:45 a.m. 含羞草研究社� As negotiations continue, police state only six members of the media can go on the tour because veterinarians at the site are concerned about the health and stress of the animals. CTV is not allowed to enter as per the family含羞草研究社檚 request. CBC, Global, Canadian Press, Black Press and The Intercept (New York Times) are permitted access.
11:00 a.m. 含羞草研究社� The reporter from The Intercept is removed from the group going on the tour, as the family states they saw the reporter on the bus with the protesters. The reporter, who did travel as an embedded journalist with the protesters, is escorted back to the street. Police do not allow another reporter to replace her as a sixth member.
11:27 a.m. 含羞草研究社� Family members, neighbours, friends and other farmers gather in the front yard of the farm to support Excelsior. They write on a whiteboard sign that 含羞草研究社淲e Love Our Farm,含羞草研究社� with others signing their name on the whiteboard.
11:48 a.m. 含羞草研究社� Media complete the farm tour.
Approximately 12:30 p.m. 含羞草研究社� Protesters leave. One person is arrested
