by KATIE MANSFIELD
A PROTEST outside a Brentwood slaughterhouse ended in a protester being detained for branding the workers “naughty people” last Wednesday.
A group of nine protesters campaigning against animal cruelty at Cheale Meats directed their anger toward lorries entering the slaughterhouse at a protest on Wednesday lunchtime.
The group had been warned about being abusive and swearing by police. Following that warning a protestor shouted “naughty people” at a lorry carrying pigs and was taken to one side by police.
Debbie Deboo, one of the protesters at the event, slammed the police’s actions telling the Enquirer: “There were nine police vehicles for nine protestors. All of us were left shocked and speechless by the attitude of the police!”
Inspector Jon Burgess, based at Brentwood, defended the officer’s actions saying: "We respect the right to peaceful protest but will act if it becomes unlawful."
An Essex Police statement later read: “One protestor was warned and detained for a breach of the peace but later released without being taken into custody after they agreed to act within the law.”
The protest followed Animal Aid’s secret camera footage, which allegedly showed three different workers stubbing their cigarettes out on the faces of pigs, while one of the men landed a violent punch to the face of a pig that was walking by.