Clouds of tear gas engulfed the Ridglan Farms Biomedical research facility on Saturday April 18, as police repelled hundreds of animal rights activists attempting to breach the facility to carry away thousands of beagles bred and housed inside. Many activists were injured and at least 25 people were arrested. Wayne Hsiung reportedly said in a call from jail that ‘only a deeply corrupt system will use tear gas and rubber bullets against peaceful activists saving dogs. We are seeing the worst in humanity today. But in the courage of the rescuers, also the best.’ Hsiung was questioned by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. The FBI refused to comment.
WASHINGTON EXAMINER: Clouds of tear gas engulfed the Ridglan Farms Biomedical research facility, as police repelled hundreds of animal rights activists attempting to breach the facility to carry away thousands of beagles bred and housed inside. The activists gathered at Ridglan in the Dane County village of Blue Mounds on Saturday, a day ahead of the date they’d publicly announced for the planned rescue action.
Wayne Hsiung, a lawyer and animal rights activist from California who was one of the lead organizers of the action, was reportedly among the first people arrested. The Dane County Sheriff’s Office said on social media that he was arrested “within minutes” for conspiracy to commit burglary. As the activists attempted to enter the Ridglan facility for the second time in a little over a month, they were met with tear gas and rubber bullets.
Activists said some people were severely beaten by law enforcement. One participant, Nicholas Dickman, lost multiple teeth after officers beat him after Dickman crawled through a hole activists made in the fence around the facility, according to a press release prepared by the Coalition to Save the Ridglan Dogs…
On Saturday, at least 25 people were arrested… Two people have been charged with trespassing, one with reckless driving, and four with felony burglary. Hsiung reportedly said in a call from jail that “only a deeply corrupt system will use tear gas and rubber bullets against peaceful activists saving dogs. We are seeing the worst in humanity today. But in the courage of the rescuers, also the best.” The coalition said in a statement that Hsiung was questioned by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. The FBI refused to comment…
The conflict comes after weeks of escalating tensions around the controversial facility. Ridglan keeps thousands of beagle dogs bred specifically to be used in biomedical research. Ridglan maintains its own research wing, but also sells the dogs to other facilities for use in experiments. Critics of Ridglan have long accused the facility of subjecting the dogs to cruel and inhumane conditions.
Last year, a special prosecutor appointed by a Dane County judge found that violations of Wisconsin’s animal cruelty laws had occurred at Ridglan. Instead of filing charges, the special prosecutor reached a settlement deal with Ridglan that gave the company until July to shut down its breeding operation. Animal rights advocates denounced the decision to let the beagles remain at Ridglan until July. ISIAH HOLMES
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