| A
massive co-ordinated action against the live sheep
trade saw protesters from Animal Liberation
Victoria, NSW, SA, BOAR and the Victorian Greens
come together in a show of solidarity-for-animals,
which are exported live from all over Australia.
The protesters gathered in Portland where the
Al Kuwait (aka the ‘death ship’) was
scheduled to dock and load up with 28,000 sheep.
Our task that day was to prevent the Al Kuwait
from docking in Portland, and that is exactly
what we did.
Activists kept an around
the clock watch on the port and when the Al Kuwait
was sighted at 5:15am on September 24, the call
to action came and animal liberation protesters
came down to the water in force. A team of protesters
in dinghies and kayaks made their way out into
the port as the sun edged up and hail smashed
into the water. The kayakers stationed themselves
along the docking station where the Al Kuwait
was scheduled to berth and the dinghies zipped
around, blocking the mouth of the port. Meanwhile,
those protesters not in the water made their way
through the rain to the end of the jetty where
they held up banners and placards in protest against
the looming ‘death ship’.
The Al Kuwait was approached
by the Pilot boat belonging to the port and a
conversation ensued between the captain of the
Al Kuwait and the port authority. The next thing
we knew the Al Kuwait turned around and headed
back out to sea. The blockade of the port by Animal
Liberation activists was more successful than
anyone could have imagined, the Al Kuwait had
been prevented from entering the port.
A press release was sent
out and a media onslaught ensued. There were helicopters,
journalists and TV crews everywhere, the story
was covered by all major Australian media, as
well as the BBC, the Guardian, and the Independent,
it made the front page of CNN.com, was picked
up by the Reuters international newswire and was
also covered in scores of other media. The whole
world was aware of Australia’s shameful
live animal trade.
Early the following morning
we again assembled on the port. By this stage
a 200 metre exclusion zone had been set up around
the ship and the Melbourne Water Police had arrived
in force to prevent us from blockading the port.
We watched helplessly as the massive grey ship
of death came silently into harbour, soon to be
crammed with thousands upon thousands of sheep
who would endure unimaginable suffering.
Since we could not get to
the ship due to the heavy police presence, the
back-up plan was put into action. We formed a
convoy and drove inland to the to the feedlot
where 28,000 sheep were waiting to be loaded onto
trucks that would take them to the Al Kuwait.
Animal Liberationists blocked the only entrance
and exit to the feedlots with our vehicles and
five of us locked down, chaining ours necks to
the gate and cars in order to prevent any trucks
entering or leaving.
We managed to further delay
the loading of the ship for nearly three hours.
But police reinforcements eventually cut our chains
with boltcutters and towed away the van blocking
the feedlot entrance. While this was happening
one of the protesters who was chained to the gate
was kicked and punched by the farmers in a cowardly
assault. I could not help thinking, if this is
what farmers do to humans in front of the police
and media, what would they do to the sheep when
no-one was watching? The police did nothing to
protect the protester while he was being beaten
except to prevent other animal liberationists
from going to his aid (charges against the farmers
are being pursued in relation to this matter).
Police then formed a line
to protect the trucks loaded with sheep as they
drove out the gates. Protesters linked arms and
tried to block the trucks but were pushed back
by police. We could do nothing but watch, many
of us in tears, as truck after truck crammed with
frightened and distressed sheep were transported
to the Al Kuwait where they would begin their
gruelling journey.
We managed to stop the Al
Kuwait for 28 hours, and focussed the attention
of the world upon the plight of Australian sheep.
It was a great success for Animal Liberation around
Australia, but now more than ever it is crucial
to keep up the pressure on the Australian government
to ban the cruel live sheep export trade. Write
to the letters to the editor section of your local
paper and to Minister Warren Truss, and demand
that this practice be banned once and for all.
ADDRESS:
The Hon. Warren Truss
MP (Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry)
House of Representatives
Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600
W.Truss.MP@aph.gov.au
Fax: (02) 6273 4120
ACTION - HOW YOU
CAN HELP THE SHEEP
1)
Voice your outrage directly to John Howard,via
email by going to www.pm.gov.au/email.cfm<%=createExternalLinkImage("../..")%>
or write to John Howard, c/o Parliment house,
Canberra
2)
Contact Australia's Federal Minister for Agriculture
asking that live animal exports be BANNED.
The Hon. Warren Truss MP
House of Representatives
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Fax: (02) 6273 4120
W.Truss.MP@aph.gov.au
3)
Write a Letter to the Editor in your state and
local newspapers, this is such an important way
of keeping this issue before the public eye -
thank you so much.
Reporting by Noah Hannibal
with Angie Stephenson |
Day 1 Animal liberationists launched several power
boats and kayaks in the water at the crack of
dawn and placed themselves at the head of the
port and along the berthing slot - succeeding
in keeping the Al Kuwait out!.
A wall of police begin to move straight into the
animal activists to clear the way for the scores
of huge trucks filled with sheep to be loaded
onto the Al Kuwait.
Animal Liberation Victoria members Silvia, Noah
and Des at dockside shortly after Noah came back
in from the 'water patrol'.
50 activists from around Australia travelled to
the tiny and isolated seaside town on the south
coast of Australia (Portland) to protest the loading
of the Al Kuwait (a livestock sea-carrier capable
of holding
up to 110,000 live animals)
One angry farmer continually confronted and verbally
abused the protesters who remained peaceful throughout.
Day 2 The cruel Al Kuwait enters the port early
on September 25 after being blockaded by protestors
for over a day. A huge police presence assured
no protestors could get near the dock. Media helicopters
circled in the hail and rain.
Day 2 Feedlot protest.
A wall of police (who were linked arm to arm)
mowed down the protestors, making an opening for
the huge trucks filled with sheep to be loaded
onto the Al Kuwait.
Two animal liberation protestors chained by their
neck to the feedlot gate, including Michael who
had just been kicked and punched by several of
the angry farmers and truck drivers.
Noah Hannibal sat chained to the ALV rescue
van, that directly blocked the exit gate from
the sheep feedlot, for two and a half hours until
four police cut his chain and carried him away.
The van was then towed away by police.
Patty Mark, President of ALV then sat in the roadway
still trying to stop the trucks, but she too was
moved by police
Sheep defenders line up and link arms in a bold
bid to stop the sheep from leaving solid ground.
photo 12b) The WALL of police the protestors had
to keep at bay...
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