BREAKING NEWS: Animal rights activists have this morning scaled the roof of a livestock auction in Darlington, UK, the venue for today’s flagship National Beef Association 2022 Expo. 

Animal Justice Project (AJP) - an animal protection NGO and organiser of today’s action - has put out an urgent call for support as farmers attempt to remove and ‘muck spread’ protestors. At least one farmer who was removed from his tractor was seen “carrying a weapon”, according to a post on AJP’s Instagram.

In the early hours of today (May 28), activists climbed the roof of the flagship National Beef Association (NBA) 2022 Expo with 15-metre banners. One banner dropped over the entrance to the Darlington Farmers Auction Mart (DFAM) - reportedly the largest auction of its kind in the UK - reads “Farming violates the rights of animals”. Another, which can be seen from the air, reads “End animal agriculture”.

Industry leaders, representatives from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and 5,000 farmers are expected to attend the Expo throughout the weekend. Activists say they plan to stay atop the roof indefinitely to highlight concerns over animal suffering and the environmental impact of farming.

“Climbers have been up there for hours and are determined to stay there to make their message heard,” said a spokesperson for AJP, one of several dozen on-the-ground protestors. “They have been assaulted by farmers who used a JCB digger to reach them.”

AJP said that the stunt had “caused chaos” at the event with farmers assaulting activists resulting in one being taken to hospital with a suspected broken finger. Despite the presence of police and the obvious aggression from farmers, no arrests have yet been made.

The action follows “years of undercover investigations on British farms illustrating the routine and systematic exploitation of animals, alongside a history of the industry and government not just turning a blind eye to breaches of legislation but continuing to plough public money into funding it,” AJP said in a statement.

Activists also cited environmental concerns and the fact that, according to the FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations), farmed animals are responsible for 14.5 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions.

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DFAM is touted as a ‘state-of-the-art’ livestock auction, trading in more than 250,000 calves, sheep, horses and cows a year which, the NGO said, is significant as it “highlights the farming industry’s gross commodification of animals”.

The ‘best of British’ showcase event, hosted by the National Beef Association (NBA), claims to be the “largest technical beef event in the UK”. Speakers include the UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Christine Middlemiss, Labour MP, Daniel Zeichner, and the Head of Agricultural Sectors at Defra.

“Today we send a clear message to the agriculture industry, at a poignant site where hundreds of thousands of animals are bought and sold each year like commodities, that animals have rights and current farming practices infringe on these [rights] day in, day out within the dairy, meat and egg industries,” said AJP.

“A staggering 1.2 billion animals are killed in this country each year and our investigations, along with many others, highlight the gross pain and suffering that these animals go through. Today is not a celebration of the 'Best of British', but a farming event that glorifies the exploitation and killing of animals - an industry that has yet to be held accountable. This is fundamentally wrong and unjust.

“The urgency of this situation for animals is made even more grave bearing in mind that animal agriculture is the primary driver of climate change. Animal agriculture has no future and we are here to show that events such as today must not continue without being challenged. There is no future in animal agriculture. The future is vegan.”

Animal Justice Project is an animal protection NGO based in the UK with 200,000 followers and a seven-year history of campaigning to end cruel animal farming practices, and advocating for a plant-based diet. Visit www.animaljusticeproject.com or follow their Instagram @animaljusticeproject.

Andrew Gough is Media and Investigations Manager for Surge.

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