Dozens of animal rights invaded a pig farm in Killucan, Co Westmeath for over six hours this Saturday.

The Irish Farmers Journal met protesters from the "Meat the Victims" movement on the land who said 40 were inside the farm. Gardaí were at the scene and representatives of the farmer asked media to stay outside.

Some activists have posted images of the trespassing to social media, describing the sheds as a "factory farm" and arguing for the pigs' "freedom and right to live".

The action raises concerns for animal health and biosecurity at a time when pig farms are under heightened surveillance to prevent the risk of African swine fever spreading from continental Europe.

The protesters, who had arrived around 1pm, left the farmyard at 5.30pm.

Condemned

IFA president Joe Healy has condemned the sit-in by vegan activists at the farm.

"At a time when we have a heightened biosecurity risk to the Irish pig sector from the global threat from African swine fever, it is reckless that people would enter a facility without observing proper bio security procedures," Healy said.

He said that the behaviour of the activists amounted to criminal activity and that the protestors should be dealt with using the full rigours of the law.

"People are entitled to eat whatever they wish, but this sort of intimidation of individual farmers is contemptible," he said.

Trucks

The Westmeath incident follows a protest in which animal rights advocates blocked trucks at Rosderra's pig processing plant in Roscrea, Co Tipperary, on Wednesday, while a vigil organised by more activists took place outside Kepak's Athleague factory in Co Roscommon on Friday morning.

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