Father Munro, Kip Anderson, Producer of “What the Health, “Cowspiracy,” and the lovely Lauren.
I’ve been to the L.A. Pig Vigils before, and I wasn’t sure what was in store, after all this is DxE, Direct Action Everywhere. Speaking to my uber driver on the way there about where I was going, I wasn’t sure he was really paying attention, they are all kind of in awe whenever we arrive there. After all, slaughterhouses are usually far from where the public are, and this is out in the middle of nowhere land in Los Angeles in a place called Vernon, California. When we pulled up he was awestruck at the amount of activists present and so was I, he literally leaped out of the car and came running over to me and exclaimed, “That’s it, I’m never eating pigs again.” Then he went on to say, “GUARANTEED!” I had to kind of laugh to myself at as I wasn’t sure what he was going to say, and any vegan is happy with something like that! I began filling exuberant to see all my local activists from DxE and so many activists there.
On September 27th, DxE got into Smithfield’s murder house, it’s called “Open Rescue,” I honestly had no idea this had happened and was thrilled at what they did. They tried to rescue one of the pigs, unfortunately the security were waiting for them and the pig was released back onto the kill floor. It was unfortunate that the actvists were treated with violence by security.
DxE used drones to expose the enormity of this building, the cameras inside to show the horror and opened the eyes of many.
Meanwhile, we were chalking the streets, with slogans like, “End All Oppression”, “Stop Killing Animals”, “Animals Are Not Food! Eat Vegan!”
Listening to many guests speakers about animal rights issues, and the main reason we were there is for ROSE’S LAW, ANIMAL BILL OF RIGHTS, Rose is the sole survivor of an animal rescue at an Amazon chicken farm in Sonoma County. Rescuers found Rose languishing with a deformed leg unable to walk or reach food and water. The rescuers begged and pleaded with law enformencement to allow the sick animals to be taken to a vet auto receive medical attention they desperately needed, but they were told that they could only take the bird in the worst condition out. Officers arrested all other animal rescuers and sent all the other birds to heir deaths. This law is the basically the Right to Rescue, and to have a morataraium on building any more slaughterhouses in the future. We are already over-producing meat and dairy and have stockpiles.
We were there not just for a pig vigil but to bring light for ROSE’S LAW, to enshrine the right to rescue so that this kind of atrocity never happens again. Animals deserve to be protected under the law. You can help by signing the petition at dxe.io/sonoma.”
While interviewing and meeting new activists, while awaiting the many pig slaughterhouse trucks that never seemed to come like they usually do, Met a Monk who happened to do that Open rescue, and interviewed him and Reverand Munro, who gifted me the most precious, blessed rosary.
One of our strongest Animal Rights Activists, Priya Sawhey, broke down to me that she was having a break down from all the sensory trauma the animals were going through just over the wall, we hugged and spoke about it, then took this photo, it’s not easy to be in a vortex of death and murder, all the smells, sounds and fear, – the trauma of a violent murder.
I was still in a state of bliss to be with such rebels and shakers, and also the dismal part of being surrounded by this massive slaugherhouse, *bittersweet*. September 29th, around 10:00, I returned from having dinner with my daughter and friend at one of my favorite vegan restaurants, “Crossroads Kitchen”, and when I returned activists were starting the lockdown, I really wanted to do it, but you had to be in the training earlier and prepared to do civil disobedience in solidarity. I would have if I qualified. Felt so disappointed that I was at dinner and missed that part. But family is important to me, and also not sure with pre-asthma and covid still prevalent, I was ready to be in jail. Maybe that part of activism is not for me to begin with. But I commend so many that do that. This video explains in detail, by Paul at the end why we were here: https://youtu.be/nh56SykqIfo
Also, earlier activists got into the building with cameras, climbed into the building, Scott told us that they locked down at the kill floor at entrance and were able to get to the place they wanted, and then private security guards assaulted and they are looking to file charges against this private company and they had a live stream and go pro, they are waiting to get the film back.
He described it a little, his adreline was pumping, so he was trying to concentrate to lock down, but Scott said it was sad to know this where the pigs were, and then the distraction of the security guards. I commended him for such a brave action.
I feel like I’m just kind of a journalist to some degree that documents and records Live on FB, this first time to Instagram, to show others what activists go through to expose the cruelty to change people’s hearts. It gives them a lens into what happens to the animals and shows the compadre of all the people that care.
There were so many police by this time, they were there for quite a while, I guess they were trying to figure out how to get these people off the fence with such heavy chains and all of us out of there. There were only two trucks out of all these times I’ve been there, where they normally keep rolling in. These pigs travel from out of state, for up to 3 days in the heat, cold, freezing and denied the right to food or water. A pig vigil is to give them that basic right to water, give them the only love they will know before that truck turns into the gates of hell. This time Farmer Johns was different with the DxE activists- probably holding off trucks somewhere else. It was so sad to see the few trucks with the pigs, to hear and see and all the sensory you feel around this place.
It was 12:40 a.m. that police warned us that we all have to leave and disperse, and if we don’t, we will all be arrested.
The next day I woke up crying unstoppable, it hit me the hardest ever. It isn’t about me, but we as activists carry that emotional baggage with us bearing witness. It was about being in a place where so much death, gas chambers, boiling them alive, chopping them to pieces, for humans to eat, it’s just all so unnecessary and such a horror show.
I ask only one thing of you today after reading this, to please take steps to vegan. Take actions in your community by joining PETA or DxE for activism in your area. We must wake up the masses! Thank you for being here.