Hundreds of animal welfare activists tried to free thousands of Beagles from a breeding research facility in Dane County, Wisconsin, on Saturday but many of the protesters ended up being arrested and tear gassed.
The incident happened at Ridglan Farms where the activists tried to remove 2,000 dogs housed there, Fox 6 reported, noting those in the group traveled from numerous states to participate.
In a statement following the action, Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said, “It was clear from the beginning that this was not going to be a peaceful protest. The DCSO response to the active break-in attempts by hundreds of protesters was appropriate and proportionate to the behaviors observed. With the assistance of our partner agencies, we were able to maintain order without anyone being seriously injured. We care about the welfare of all animals in our Dane County community. Resorting to crime, chaos, and violence is not the solution.”
Photos showed the mass of activists outside the facility and the dogs in cages:
Protest organizer Wayne Hsiung was arrested along with several other people, DCSO noted. In a statement from jail, Hsiung said, “Only a deeply corrupt system will use tear gas and rubber bullets against peaceful activists saving dogs. We are seeing the worst in humanity today. But, in the courage of the rescuers, also the best.”
Activists hope their protest on Saturday brings more attention to the issue, per the Fox article.
“Ridglan Farms breeds beagles for scientific experiments. The owners recently agreed to give up their breeding license by July 1 as part of an agreement to avoid animal cruelty charges,” the outlet said.
Approximately 1,000 activists gathered at the facility in Blue Mounds early Saturday and law enforcement warned them that anyone crossing onto private property would be arrested, Fox News reported Sunday.
Officials said hundreds of protesters tried to break barriers while some in the group blocked roadways to slow the response of law enforcement and emergency crews attempting to get to the scene.
Video footage showed the activists swarming the area where signs clearly marked signs read “Private Property” and “No Trespassing,” per Channel 3000:
In a statement after the incident, Ridglan Farms blamed Hsiung for any possible injuries during the incident after he “led hundreds of individuals in a violent assault on a veterinary medicine research facility dedicated to improving the health of our pet animals.”
The farm said there had been a thorough investigation that resulted in a “binding legal agreement between the state of Wisconsin and Ridglan Farms” but “Hsiung decided to encourage lawlessness and vigilantism because he did not personally agree with the results of the legal process,” then accused him of having a criminal history and a felony conviction.
Law enforcement reportedly found saws, fence cutters, sledgehammers, handcuff keys, and tear gas the activists allegedly brought with them to the scene, per the Fox News report. The outlet noted it was the second protest at Ridglan Farms since March when they broke into the building and removed 30 dogs.
In May, Breitbart News reported that “Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, President Donald Trump’s director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), announced the closure of the agency’s last remaining beagle experiment lab over the weekend after former NIH physician Dr. Anthony Fauci’s horrific beagle-testing scandal was exposed.”