Animal Rebellion members arrested at Bridgwater dairy

Animal Rebellion activists cut off milk supplies by creating blockades, climbing on dairy distribution trucks and climbing up milk silos in four dairy plants in the Midlands and Bridgwater on Sunday (September 4).

Speaking on Monday, chief inspector of Avon and Somerset Police, Dan Forster said: “A small number of people accessed the private site at just after 6am yesterday morning.

“Seven people were arrested yesterday while a further eight have been taken into custody today.

“They have been arrested on suspicion of offences including aggravated trespass, criminal damage and conspiracy to commit criminal damage.

“Six of those arrested – all men – have since been bailed with conditions while the others, six men and three woman, remain in custody.

“Specialist resources, including the Protest Removal Team, were brought in to assist with the policing response after the protesters climbed on top of objects and locked themselves to them.

“The protest caused minimal disruption to plant operations and thankfully did not have any impact on the wider public or cause any issues on the surrounding roads.

“We’re working with the owners of the plant to ensure it has adequate security in place to prevent people gaining unauthorised access in the future as enquiries into this protest are carried out.

“We fully respect the fundamental democratic right to protest, but where criminal offences are being committed we’ll always seek to use the powers available to us to take robust action, as we have done in this operation.”

Animal Rebellion has said non-violent protests will continue until the government meets its two demands.

The first is that government supports farmers and fishing communities to move away from animal farming and fishing as part of an urgent and immediate transition to a plant-based food system.

The second is that the government commits to rewild the freed-up land and ocean as part of a broader programme of wildlife restoration and carbon drawdown.