Militant Livestock Farmers Attack Animal Welfare Activists

Livestock farmers attack demonstrators outside the Swiss Expo agricultural fair, tearing their banners and hurling insults at them. Sixty activists were present last Saturday in front of the Palais de Beaulieu in Lausanne. They had gathered to protest against the slaughter and exploitation of animals.

The approved demonstration turned ugly when the animal rights activists began giving speeches.

Livestock farmers attack activists

«We were surrounded by the farmers. Our placards were torn up, and eggs, beer and water were thrown at us. It was a bit of everything,» says Fabien Truffer, spokesperson for the Association Pour l’Égalité Animale (PEA).

Police were positioned between the two groups. “It appears there was no physical fighting. We did not need to intervene,” said Sebastien Jost, spokesperson for the Lausanne police. During the confrontation, one person was slightly injured on the head by a thrown object.

Insults and property damage

As the demonstrators chanted their ironic slogans, some of the livestock farmers lost their composure.

Jacques Rey, the president of the show, regretted that “the media’s attention was focused on the activists rather than on the work of the farmers,” he said in a statement.

Over four days, around 24’000 people visited this reference fair in Europe. Domestic and foreign breeders were able to showcase the fruits of their work in breeding and genetic selection, according to a press release. For the fourth consecutive time, all competitions were broadcast live on the Schweizerbauer website.

Around 130 exhibitors, 400 breeders, and a thousand cows were present in Lausanne. A thousand children from the Lausanne region visited the grounds. However, the organizers have doubts about the future of the event, writes LeMatin. More on animal rights and campaigns on wildbeimwild.com.