FIVE people were arrested after animal rights activists staged a roof-top protest at Darlington Farmers Auction Mart on Saturday.
Members of the Animal Justice Project targeted the mart as farmers from around the UK attended the flagship National Beef Association (NBA) 2022 Expo held at the site over the weekend.
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Protestors gathered at the mart's perimeter gates and attendees were greeted by black-clad, masked activists holding placards bearing slogans such as 'Farming violates the rights of animals' and 'The end of animal farming is coming'.
The group wants to see an end to the farming of livestock for human consumption and advocates a vegan lifestyle, saying this is better for the environment and animals.
A spokesman for the group said that 30 protesters from around the country took part in the demonstration, with seven climbing onto the mart’s roof in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Auction mart staff were entitled to use 'reasonable force' to remove protestors from the site but the roof activists were not forced down over safety concerns.
The protestors let off flares throughout the day and video footage shot by the Animal Justice Project shows a farmer driving towards activists outside the perimiter fence with a muck spreader.
The group alleges they were assaulted during the demonstration, with one roof protestor needing hospital treatment for a suspected dislocated finger after she fell over.
Durham Police confirmed today (Sunday, May 29) that they are investigating the protestors’ assault claims and five activists have been arrested.
A police spokesman said: “Five protesters came down from the roof of the Farmers Mart at around 5pm yesterday (Saturday, May 28) following negotiations with officers on the scene.
“All five individuals were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.
“Officers are also making enquiries following an allegation of assault, however no arrests have yet been made in relation to the report.”
Mark Dent, chairman of the mart said he appreciated people’s right to protest but he did not agree with those causing ‘criminal damage and aggravated trespass’ whilst wearing masks.
He said: “Why should anyone listen to you when you don’t even have the courage to show your face?
“We are all here, very proud of our industry and what we do for the food industry.
“We all have things we don’t agree with, but if you are going to stand behind what you believe in, have the decency to show your face.”
He added: “They are not going to convert anybody here, so quite frankly they are being laughed at.”
Neil Shand, chief executive of the National Beef Association, said: "We understand that there are people in the country who don’t want this industry, but it is a mainstay of rural life and they won’t change the mindset of people coming through the gates.”
Suckle farmer and Expo attendee Bernard Trainer was among a group of farmers who travelled from Northern Ireland for the event.
He said it was a ‘fantastic’ day out, adding: "They (the protestors) seem to forget it’s farmers who made this country as beautiful as it is and we are proud of what we do, morning, noon and night.”
A Spokesman for the Animal Justice Project said the demonstration had ‘definitely been a success’ for the group.
He added: “We have received regional and national media attention, getting our message out there to hundreds of thousands of people that there is no future for the farming industry and it is never OK to exploit animals.”
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