Plea to end vegan protests at Norwich Livestock Market

But a demonstration has been rumbling for an extraordinary seven years on the outskirts of Norwich, out of sight and largely ignored by the public.

The animal rights protests at the Norwich Livestock Market, on an industrial estate at Harford, began in 2017 and show no sign of coming to an end.

Vegan 'vigils' see protesters stop trucks entering Norwich Livestock Market (Image: Newsquest)

Norwich Livestock Market sales take place every fortnight (Image: Newsquest)

The anti-meat activists behind them say they are there to “bear witness” to animals going into the market and hold a 'vigil' every fortnight when the sales are held.

The protestors stop trucks entering in order to take footage that is shared on social media.

The protests have seen angry exchanges and arrests on both sides, with activists and farmers accusing one another of "intimidation".

Each demonstration is monitored by a group of officers from Norfolk police, to prevent them getting out of hand, at an estimated cost to the public purse of more than £35,000 so far.

Further significant costs to the taxpayer have come from court cases which have followed some of the arrests.

READ MORE: Two arrested as tempers flare at livestock market vegan protest

Farmers have now issued a plea for the protests to come to an end.

Mike Beckett, vice chairman of the market, said: “The situation is not getting any better. In fact it is getting worse if anything. 

“They should stop now because it is really not achieving anything and it is not helping the welfare of animals particularly in the summer when vehicles are held up that are getting hotter and hotter inside.”

Police have since 2021 allowed the placard-waving vegan activists to stop livestock trucks for short periods (Image: Newsquest)

Protests have led to lengthy delays entering the market which farms claims causes animals additional stress (Image: Newsquest)

He said things if protests continued there was a risk things could boil over. 

“We have asked the farming community not to enter into any form of conversation. Once you do things can become very heated. 

“The protesters know that if there is someone they can target to get a response from, that is what they will do.”

SEVEN YEARS OF PROTESTS

Protesters have held more than 100 regular 'vigils' at the entrance to market since the first in December 2017, protesting against its fortnightly sales.

Since 2021, police have allowed the placard-waving vegan activists to stop livestock trucks on the access road off Hall Road for 30 seconds to film and photograph the condition of the animals.

READ MORE: Women cleared over anti-meat protest at city livestock market

But there have been frequent confrontations with some activists attempting to get into the market, while farmers have been accused of deliberately driving at them.

A 60-year-old farmer is set to stand trial this autumn after pleading guilty to two counts of dangerous driving.

Meanwhile two Norwich women involved in the animal rights movement have denied charges of harassment in connection with the protests.

TENSIONS RISING

Mr Beckett said tensions were rising again after a split amongst protesters with a “more militant” group targeting the market in recent weeks.

“We get the original protesters who tend to be calmer, more reasonable, but there has been a split with another group who are led by one of the major antagonists who sits in the road and verbally abuses people,” he said. 

Protests frequently led to queues of vehicles to Hall Road and on some occasions as far back as Ipswich Road he said, with the delays causing “unnecessary stress” to the animals.

Mike Beckett, vice chairman of Norwich Livestock Market (Image: Newsquest)

'BIASED POLICING'

One of the organisers of the more moderate Norwich Livestock Market Animal Vigils, who did not wish to be named but is known online as the Active Vegan, said: ”Our goal is never for any incident to happen here on one side or the other. 

“We are a peaceful group of people. The reason we are here is to raise awareness of animal agriculture, how they are kept, bred, transported, sold and then slaughtered.” 

READ MORE: Vegan protests-  lawful right or 'intimidation' of cattle farmers?

She claimed policing of the protests had been “very biased”.

“The farmers have driven at us repeatedly, hit us with their vehicles,” she said.

“On one occasion an activist was hit and driven into the market on the bonnet of a vehicle and at no point did the police deal with that.

“Whereas if we are on the road for a few more seconds than they think is justified they will arrest you.”

The Active Vegan taking part in one of the Norwich Livestock Market Animal Vigils (Image: Newsquest)

The Active Vegan inspects sheep in trailer after stopping vehicle at market entrance (Image: Newsquest)

'WE ARE FAIR'

Norfolk police said all protests were handled “fairly and proportionately” with officers dealing with public order or road traffic offences in a “proactive and robust manner”.

“The right to protest in this country is legal, so we as the constabulary do not take sides and work with everyone involved,” said a spokesman.

“However, offending of any nature including both public order and road traffic offences will be dealt with in a proactive and robust manner.

“Restrictions would only apply in the interests of national security, public safety or for the prevention of disorder or crime.

“We investigate any allegations and liaise with CPS on a regular basis.”

Monitoring the protests is estimated to have cost Norfolk police £35,000 (Image: Newsquest)

SECURITY STEPPED UP

Amid rising tensions between the two sides an outside company was employed 16 months ago to provide additional security at the market gate.

Darren Burton, owner of BCS Protect, said: “It was at the point 18 months ago where it was starting to boil over with the protesters trying to get in and overpower access control into the market.

“We have no issue with the protesters. We try to keep our neutrality. We are here to both stop them and also to engage. I think we have been more consistent than the police over the last 16 months in doing that.”

Livestock traders have also been advised not to provoke the protesters. 

“There are farmers who we had to have severe words with because some were driving directly at the protesters,” he said.

A firm has now been employed to oversee security at the entrance to Norwich Livestock Market (Image: Newsquest)

NO END IN SIGHT

With both sides holding deeply held opposing views there is no obvious end in sight with protesters vowing to continue their action indefinitely. 

Mr Beckett said: “Norwich Livestock Market is not a slaughterhouse it is a market where animals are traded and it has been in existence for hundreds of years. 

“Everyone has their right to have an opinion. I have no problem with them protesting but do it in a peaceful manner but don’t verbally abuse people and cause problems to the animals.” 

Norwich Livestock Market has been at its current site since 1960 (Image: Newsquest)

The anti-meat activists have said protesters at the market will continue indefinitely (Image: Newsquest)

The Active Vegan said: “We have tried to engage and tell them there are other ways of farming these days, but at the end of the day we are both at very different ends of the spectrum. 

“They are breeding these animals to be killed, we are trying to stop that happening so it is always going to be difficult to get any conversation going.

“It’s a long-term process. People have been eating meat for a very long time. 

"We’d love it if everyone went vegan tomorrow but that’s not realistic. But we’re in it for the long-term and we are not going away. We will be here as long as it takes.”