Nine protesters who were part of a nation-wide demonstration against factory farming in Australia have been arrested at a Goulburn abattoir.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The protest in Goulburn was one of several early-morning invasions of abattoirs across the country to protest animal rights, marking one since the release of the Dominion film documenting factory farming in Australia.
The Goulburn protesters broke into the facility on Mazamat Road just after 2.30am, chaining themselves to a conveyor belt.
Police attended the scene just after 4am, when the abattoir owners unsuccessfully tried to negotiate with the demonstrators to leave.
Police then cut the protesters free before arresting them.
Three of the protesters had to be carried by police from the abattoir after they refused to walk away.
All nine protesters were taken to Goulburn police station where they will be charged.
The Goulburn protesters said they wanted to "shine a light" on what they said was the oxymoron of "humane slaughter".
Meanwhile, activists in Queensland have successfully demanded three sheep to set free, and escaped arrest after striking a deal with the abattoir, in what critics condemned as "extortion".
Marty Bella from Greens Shirts, a movement representing regional and rural Australia, said the activists invaded the Carey Bros Abattoir at Yangan in Queensland and had chained themselves in.
"They entered a meatworks, chained themselves to equipment and demanded three sheep to set free, which we believe is extortion," he said. But he said the abattoir staff agreed to the protesters' demands.
"There was a negotiation with the proprietors so by the time police got there the deal was done." The proprietors also agreed not to make a formal complaint, meaning the activists escaped arrest - with their sheep.
Mr Bella said the move set a dangerous precedent: "Our advice is 'you never negotiate with terrorists'."
Activists have also driven trucks and let down the tyres to block entrance and exits to three locations across Victoria, including MC Herd at Geelong, Westside Meats at Bacchus Marsh, and O'Connor Beef at Pakenham.
Several activists filmed themselves blocking the entrance what they said was the gas chamber at the Australian Food Group's pig slaughterhouse in Laverton. They said several hundred were demonstrating in Melbourne's CBD.
Eleven tram lines in Melbourne were affected and traffic was blocked at the intersection of Flinders and Swanston streets, bringing peak-hour traffic to a standstill.
Protesters were forcibly removed by police more than two hours after disruption began.
Chris Delforce from the Dominion movement said activists were prepared to be arrested but were ready to pay the price to highlight their cause.
"Yes there's trespass involved in the actions today,' he said.
"We've been trying to draw attention to what's been happening for many years. It's easy for people things to ignnore things that aren't dramatic. When you go in there, it's forcing people to look and make that call as to whether that's something they're okay with."
He said members of the public delayed by today's protests would end up feeling more angry about animal abuses he said they were highlighting.
"Often they get angry, that it's been hidden from them for so long and hidden behind these words like 'ethical' and 'happy meat,' people are frustrated that they've been sold this lie for so long."
"What's happening to animals in this country has to end, it's a disgrace," he said.
