Inverurie residents concerned after ‘intimidating’ vegan protest
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[[text]]Inverurie residents have raised concerns after vegan protestors pitched up outside an abattoir just yards from a school.
The activists gathered at the Scotbeef building across the road from Strathburn primary to protest the slaughter of cows.
Representatives of Vegan Outreach Scotland and Aberdeenshire Animal Save were visible as cows were delivered to the plant this morning.
This sparked concerns from one parent at the school who described their actions as being “pushy and intimidating”.
Police were called, but when they arrived said they found “no ongoing issues”.
Protestors should not ‘educate the children’
Veronica Largue, 41, who has two children there, said the protestors have been speaking to pupils, trying to convince them eating meat is wrong.
She said: “They were trying to put their point to my son about how the animals get slaughtered.
“They should not think they get the chance to stand there and educate the children, that is up to the parents
“They are just not people you can reason with.”
‘Strange’ they stand outside primary school
Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said this was at least the second occasion where they had been protesting outside the slaughterhouse.
She said: “My daughter was worried about them last time as they were intimidating the academy children walking home from school.
“Apparently the police were there last time.
“It is strange why they would stand out the front of a primary school rather than the front of the Scotbeef building which is on a main road.”
Protestors: ‘We are bearing witness’
The activists have rejected claims they have been intimidating children near the school.
Vegan Outreach Scotland[1] and Aberdeenshire Animals Save[2] representative Rebecca Knowles said: “We were there to bear witness to the animals in the last moment of their lives.
“The reason we are there is to share a message of peace and kindness and to protest against the unnecessary suffering of animals.
“We ask people if they know what goes on in the slaughterhouse, how they feel about it, and what they can do to stop it.
“Ninety-seven per cent of people in this country say it is wrong to cause unnecessary suffering to animals, so it’s about encouraging people to align their behaviors and eating habits with that belief or value.
“The animals do not want to get off that lorry, they have to get pushed off.”
Watch the video Aberdeenshire Animal Save made at the protest below.
Children are ‘naturally curious’
This is the second time the group met in Inverurie to protest at the Scotbeef plant.
In February, the group also held banners and took videos of the cows as they headed to slaughter.[3]
In March 2022, plans for a new Scotbeef Inverurie abattoir were put on hold due to the impact of Covid.[4]
Ms Knowles, who lives in Alford, said: “Our group is definitely not a pushy group.
“We are not there to cause problems.
“Children are naturally curious and they want to know where their food comes from.
“The police always come by and they never have a problem with how we conduct ourselves and our right to a peaceful protest.”
The group said it will continue to peacefully protest against the meat and dairy industry across Aberdeenshire in the future.
Scotbeef declined to comment.
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[[text]] CloseReferences
- ^ Vegan Outreach Scotland (www.facebook.com)
- ^ Aberdeenshire Animals Save (www.facebook.com)
- ^ the group also held banners and took videos of the cows as they headed to slaughter. (www.facebook.com)
- ^ plans for a new Scotbeef Inverurie abattoir were put on hold due to the impact of Covid. (www.pressandjournal.co.uk)
- ^ Sign in (www.pressandjournal.co.uk)