Vegan militants storm Carey Bros Abattoir with more protests planned across the country

Thousands of animal rights activists have caused traffic chaos across Australian capital cities as part of a large and co-ordinated mass protest.

Vigilantes brought parts of Melbourne to a standstill on Monday morning, with ‘the largest protest the world has ever seen’ still planned at slaughterhouses and businesses in Brisbane and Hobart. 

Hundreds have gathered at Flinders Street in the Victorian capital, with vans parked on the road and blocking lanes of traffic.

Police are on site and motorists are being urged to allow extra time for travel. 

‘A protest currently underway in the CBD has the Flinders Street Swanston Street intersection blocked,’ VicRoads said. 

Around 5am, dozens of activists chained themselves to machinery at Carey Bros Abattoir at Yangan in remote Queensland and demanded the release of three lambs.

Vigilantes have already brought parts of Melbourne to a standstill with ‘the largest proest the world has ever seen’ planned for other cities like Brisbane

Hundreds have gathered at Flinders Street in the Victorian capital, with vans parked on the road and blocking lanes of traffic

Hundreds have gathered at Flinders Street in the Victorian capital, with vans parked on the road and blocking lanes of traffic

Police are on site and motorists are being urged to allow extra time for travel

Police are on site and motorists are being urged to allow extra time for travel

After a lengthy two hours and negotiations, the vigilantes were escorted off the property.

‘It was pretty much what was expected,’ one of the protesters told 7News.

‘The workers came in, they called the police, they called the manager and we negotiated this end result.’

Many more protests have been planned across Queensland farms and an undisclosed location in Brisbane.

The animal rights vigilantes have been tight-lipped about their targets across Queensland in a bid to reduce the chances of intervention. 

A Facebook event titled Dominion Anniversary Action has 224 people going and 652 interested in the Brisbane protest.

‘Make sure your fuel tanks are full. We hope that you can join us to make this the biggest animal rights direct action the world has ever seen,’ the post read.

Listeners have already called into 3AW and reported similar scenes of chaos at Laverton and Pakenham South abattoirs and in Goulburn and Toowoomba.

The CFA is supporting police to free activists who have chained themselves to a truck in Pakenham with authorities monitoring the rallies elsewhere.

‘It’s causing quite the headache for people,’ Public Transport Victoria’s Georgia Main told 3AW on the protest in Melbourne. 

CBD protesters are holding signs that say: “This is a peaceful protest” and “SOS animal emergency climate emergency”.

Vans draped in black and emblazoned with the web address of a vegan documentary, are parked in the middle of the intersection.

Around 5am, dozens of activists chained themselves to machinery at Carey Bros Abattoir at Yangan in remote Queensland and demanded the release of three lambs

Around 5am, dozens of activists chained themselves to machinery at Carey Bros Abattoir at Yangan in remote Queensland and demanded the release of three lambs

After a lengthy two hours and negotiations, the vigilantes were escorted off the property

After a lengthy two hours and negotiations, the vigilantes were escorted off the property

In the city, some trams have stopped running while others are being diverted. Commuters are being told to consider the city loop train as an alternative.

Victoria Police said it’s monitoring the protest to ensure it is peaceful.

‘It is understood protesters have blocked the intersection of Flinders and Swanston streets using vehicles, which a small number have chained themselves to,’ they said in a statement.

‘The safety of the community is our number one priority.’

‘Victoria Police respects people’s right to protest peacefully but will not tolerate any anti-social behaviour or violence.’

The timing of the protests coincides with the one-year anniversary release of Dominion, an anti-farming documentary loved by vegans.

Scott Morrison has admonished as ‘un-Australian’ the animal activists behind a controversial map of farmers’ addresses and contact details.

The prime minister has also scolded the ‘shameful’ actions of vegan protesters who have invaded farms and abattoirs.

‘It is shameful, it is un-Australian, Mr Morrison told 2GB radio on Monday.

‘This is just another form of activism that I think runs against the national ins terest, and the national interest is being able to farm their own land.’

The Morrison government has put the Aussie Farms website under privacy laws, exposing it to much tougher penalties for refusing to take down the map.

And as about 20 animal rights campaigners chain themselves to equipment at a Queensland abattoir, the prime minister expects the police to play a role.

Scott Morrison has admonished as 'un-Australian' the animal activists behind a controversial map of farmers' addresses and contact details

Scott Morrison has admonished as ‘un-Australian’ the animal activists behind a controversial map of farmers’ addresses and contact details

'It is understood protesters have blocked the intersection of Flinders and Swanston streets using vehicles, which a small number have chained themselves to,' they said in a statement

‘It is understood protesters have blocked the intersection of Flinders and Swanston streets using vehicles, which a small number have chained themselves to,’ they said in a statement

'I'm expecting state governments - as I'm sure they will - to do their jobs,' he said

‘I’m expecting state governments – as I’m sure they will – to do their jobs,’ he said

‘I’m expecting state governments – as I’m sure they will – to do their jobs,’ he said.

Up to 200 others remained outside the Warwick facility, protesting against what they said was the barbaric slaughter of sheep and pigs.

Brad King, from the activist group Farm Animal Rescue, was among those at the protest and said animals slaughtered at the site had endured terrifying deaths.

On Sunday, Queensland Agriculture Minister Mark Furner said he’d had a gutful of activists putting farms at risk.

He is drafting regulations that would allow police and agriculture ministers to slap protesters with on-the-spot fines.

A family-owned cafe in Victoria has already been forced to close its doors as a result of the ongoing and relentless protests. 

The Gippy Goat Café in the small Victorian town of Yarragon, about 110km south-east of Melbourne, closed its doors for the final time on Sunday, claiming they could no longer stand the abuse.

Owners John and Penny Gommans said they have been targeted for months. 

They claim tensions have only gotten worse since activists broke into their farm and stole three goats last December.

Up to 200 others remained outside the Warwick facility, protesting against what they said was the barbaric slaughter of sheep and pigs

Up to 200 others remained outside the Warwick facility, protesting against what they said was the barbaric slaughter of sheep and pigs

He is drafting regulations that would allow police and agriculture ministers to slap protesters with on-the-spot fines

He is drafting regulations that would allow police and agriculture ministers to slap protesters with on-the-spot fines

‘For the sake of our health and safety and that of our families and staff we feel that [closing] is regrettably the best option,’ they said in a statement on Sunday.

‘Our staff and customers have been subjected to nearly 4 months of constant harassment, vile statements and threats from the abusive vegan activists.

‘We have personally been subjected to an appalling stream of threats of extreme violence against ourselves, our family, our staff and even their families.

‘Our staff have been subjected to daily threats and harassment by phone, and we cannot in good conscience ask them to continue working under such a condition.’

Militant vegans who illegally invade farms can now face huge on-the-spot fines of hundreds of dollars.

Queensland state politicians have vowed to ‘get tough’ on farm invaders to tackle a ‘completely inappropriate era of activism.’

New regulations are being drafted to allow police to fine activists caught trespassing. 

‘These activities create a serious biosecurity issue as well as putting the lives of farmers, workers and indeed animals at risk,’ Queensland Agricultural Minister Mark Furner, Furner told The Courier Mail.

‘We are getting tough on farm invaders because their actions are dangerous.’           



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