Protestors flaunt anti-vegan laws in morning demonstration
Police have broken up a protest at a Queensland abattoir, a day after the State Government announced new penalties for activists who invade farms.
About 20 animal rights campaigners descended on the Care Bros Abattoir, at Yangan near Warwick, and chained themselves to equipment before police were called to remove them this morning.
Up to 200 others remained outside the facility, protesting against what they said was the barbaric slaughter of sheep and pigs.
The protestors entered the site about 4am and stayed chained to the kill floor equipment until a Carey Brothers representative agreed to their demands to free three sheep.
The protest was over by about 5.30am, about two hours after police were called.
Police have not charged or fined any of the activists.
"We received no complaints from the property owner in relation to trespassing," Warwick Senior Sergeant Jamie Deacon said.
"You need a complaint from a land owner to charge people for trespassing."
Brad King, from the activist group Farm Animal Rescue, was among those at the protest and said animals slaughtered at the site had endured terrifying deaths.
"There are numerous occasions where they're not stunned properly, but even when they are, the footage unequivocally demonstrates that it's impossible to 'humanely' kill an animal who desperately doesn't want to die," he said in a statement.
About a dozen Carey Brother staff arrived shortly after the protest started and were frustrated about being lock out of the site.
"I reckon its b******t," Josh Jensen said.
"These people need to get a job."
On Sunday, state Agriculture Minister Mark Furner said he'd had a "gutful" of activists putting farms at risk and said new regulations were being drafted to allow police and agriculture ministers to issue protesters with on the spot fines.
The Department of Agriculture will also form a taskforce with the state police intelligence unit to try and prevent animal activism attacks on farmers.
