BLUE MOUNDS, Wis. (AP) — About 1,000 animal welfare activists who tried to gain entry Saturday to a beagle breeding and research facility in Wisconsin were turned back by police who fired rubber bullets and pepper spray into the crowd and arrested the group's leader.
It was the second attempt in as many months by protesters to take beagles from the Ridglan Farms facility in Blue Mounds, a small town about 25 miles southwest of the capital, Madison.
Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett, said in a video statement that 300 to 400 protesters were 'violently trying to break into the property' and assault officers. He said protesters have ignored designated areas for peaceful protest and blocked roads to prevent emergency vehicles from entering.
'“This is not a peaceful protest,' Barrett said.
The sheriff’s department stated a 'significant' number of people were arrested out of about 1,000 protesters at the site, but did not provide an exact total as they were still being processed.
Protesters tried to breach barricades that included a manure-filled trench, hay bales, and a barbed-wire fence, while some managed to get through. However, they were unable to enter the facility, which houses approximately 2,000 beagles.
'Activist Julie Vrzeski expressed feeling defeated as no dogs had been successfully seized after hours into the operation.
Later, activists moved to protest outside a jail in downtown Madison after the operation ended without success. This group, Coalition to Save the Ridglan Dogs, had planned a coordinated operation to seize dogs but were confronted prior to their scheduled time.
The group’s leader, Wayne Hsiung, posted on social media about his arrest. The sheriff’s department reported the arrest of an individual who recklessly drove a pickup through the front gate, preventing a potentially dangerous escalation.
Previously, protesters had successfully breached the facility in March and took 30 dogs, leading to arrests on trespassing charges. Ridglan Farms denies allegations of mistreatment but agreed to relinquish its breeding license as a part of a legal settlement regarding animal care practices. The facility asserts that no credible evidence of abuse has ever been substantiated.
It was the second attempt in as many months by protesters to take beagles from the Ridglan Farms facility in Blue Mounds, a small town about 25 miles southwest of the capital, Madison.
Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett, said in a video statement that 300 to 400 protesters were 'violently trying to break into the property' and assault officers. He said protesters have ignored designated areas for peaceful protest and blocked roads to prevent emergency vehicles from entering.
'“This is not a peaceful protest,' Barrett said.
The sheriff’s department stated a 'significant' number of people were arrested out of about 1,000 protesters at the site, but did not provide an exact total as they were still being processed.
Protesters tried to breach barricades that included a manure-filled trench, hay bales, and a barbed-wire fence, while some managed to get through. However, they were unable to enter the facility, which houses approximately 2,000 beagles.
'Activist Julie Vrzeski expressed feeling defeated as no dogs had been successfully seized after hours into the operation.
Later, activists moved to protest outside a jail in downtown Madison after the operation ended without success. This group, Coalition to Save the Ridglan Dogs, had planned a coordinated operation to seize dogs but were confronted prior to their scheduled time.
The group’s leader, Wayne Hsiung, posted on social media about his arrest. The sheriff’s department reported the arrest of an individual who recklessly drove a pickup through the front gate, preventing a potentially dangerous escalation.
Previously, protesters had successfully breached the facility in March and took 30 dogs, leading to arrests on trespassing charges. Ridglan Farms denies allegations of mistreatment but agreed to relinquish its breeding license as a part of a legal settlement regarding animal care practices. The facility asserts that no credible evidence of abuse has ever been substantiated.
