Animal rights activists confront police at Wisconsin beagle breeding facility

On Saturday, around 1,000 animal rights advocates tried to breach a beagle breeding and research facility in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, encountering rubber bullets and pepper spray from police. This incident was the second protest in two months against Ridglan Farms, situated roughly 25 miles southwest of Madison. According to Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett, 300 to 400 demonstrators aggressively attempted to force their way onto the property, obstructing roads and disregarding designated protest zones. While many arrests occurred, specific numbers were not disclosed as processing was ongoing into the afternoon. Protesters faced obstacles like a manure-filled trench, hay bales, and a barbed-wire fence; some managed to get past the fence but could not access the facility, which houses about 2,000 beagles. The sheriff noted that the protest was far from peaceful, as it hindered emergency vehicle access.