LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Animal activists protested outside the Embassy of Italy in Floriana against the killing of ten pigs during a police raid in Pavia, Lombardy on an order given by the Italian authorities due to fears of an African swine fever epidemic. The African swine fever was detected in Italy in January 2022. It is a highly contagious viral disease that affects domestic and wild pigs. Whilst posing no threat to humans, mass culls have been taking place in an attempt to limit the spread of the disease amongst farmed pigs to reduce losses for farmers. The Maltese activists from the group of Animal Liberation Malta said: “On September 20th, the Italian government ordered the killing of 10 pigs living in the ‘Progetto Cuori Liberi’ animal shelter, a sanctuary located in Sariana near Pavia, in the Lombardy region”. They declared full solidarity with those who tried to defend the animals to their detriment, after a dozen vans and cars full of police and carabinieri in riot gear intervened violently, attacking the pacifist vigil, and killing all the animals. The owners of the establishment and animal rights activists were dragged out of the shelter and many people were injured. The ten pigs were killed which activists say was “caused by the meat industry.” They slammed the industry for “enslaving animals and killing them for profit” with pigs and even wild boars being slaughtered due to “the greed of a few”.
The activists also accused the Italian authorities, saying, “Italy, once a pillar of innovation, is now retreating rather than making room for the science that could develop new technologies ethically, giving Italian entrepreneurs the opportunity to expand locally, across Europe and internationally”.(ITALPRESS).
Foto: xf3
