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
91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频渁nimal liberation activist91裸聊视频� 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.
91裸聊视频淎s a family, this is very hard for us and what we91裸聊视频檝e had to deal with in the last number of weeks,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淲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.91裸聊视频�
Binnendyk added that Sunday was an uncomfortable one for him and his family.
91裸聊视频淲e feel very invaded,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淥ur private property91裸聊视频� people just act like it91裸聊视频檚 all right to walk onto someone91裸聊视频檚 property.91裸聊视频�
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 farm91裸聊视频檚 veterinarian, Josh Waddington.
91裸聊视频淲hat I hope that the public realizes is that by their actions 91裸聊视频� this group of people have put the livestock at this farm at serious health risk,91裸聊视频� he said.
Waddington said he believes some of the footage that was recorded and distributed was from a special-care section of the farm.
91裸聊视频淚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, that91裸聊视频檚 what was shown,91裸聊视频� he said of the PETA video. 91裸聊视频淪ome of those conditions are still here and present, and those animals are under treatment.91裸聊视频�
Dan Moskaluk, who was acting as the spokesperson for Meat The Victims, said he and his group want to raise awareness about animal cruelty.
91裸聊视频淲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,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淲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.91裸聊视频�
A press release from Meat The Victims reiterated many of Moskaluk91裸聊视频檚 points:
The aim of this action is to expose the reality of what is happening to the victims of the 91裸聊视频榤eat91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频榟umane myth91裸聊视频� with labels such as 91裸聊视频榣ocal,91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频榝ree range91裸聊视频�, 91裸聊视频榞rass fed91裸聊视频�, 91裸聊视频榦rganic91裸聊视频�, & 91裸聊视频榗age free91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� all terms which are used to deceive and mislead the public into believing that animals are 91裸聊视频榟umanely raised & humanely killed.91裸聊视频� 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.
It91裸聊视频檚 not clear when results of the SPCA investigation will be released.
Here91裸聊视频檚 a timeline of the events that transpired leading up to and on the day of the protest:
March 23 91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频� PETA releases a video allegedly from the farm depicting disturbing conditions.
April 28
6:25 a.m. 91裸聊视频� 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. 91裸聊视频� Abbotsford Police arrive on scene. Harris Road is blocked off from both sides connected to the farm shortly thereafter.
8:30 a.m. 91裸聊视频� Police continue negotiations with protesters inside. The protesters demand that media be allowed to tour and document what is inside.
10:45 a.m. 91裸聊视频� 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 family91裸聊视频檚 request. CBC, Global, Canadian Press, Black Press and The Intercept (New York Times) are permitted access.
11:00 a.m. 91裸聊视频� 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. 91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频淲e Love Our Farm,91裸聊视频� with others signing their name on the whiteboard.
11:48 a.m. 91裸聊视频� Media complete the farm tour.
Approximately 12:30 p.m. 91裸聊视频� Protesters leave. One person is arrested
