Activists' attempt to storm Ridglan Farms ends with arrests
Update on situation at Ridgland Farms in Dane County
FOX6 Investigator Bryan Polcyn is in western Dane County with an update on the situation outside of Ridglan Farms where activists attempted to storm the facility to "rescue" the beagles.
DANE COUNTY, Wis. - Hundreds of activists tried to breach the fortified perimeter of Ridglan Farms on Saturday, an attempt to remove thousands of beagles that remain at the breeding farm in western Dane County.
Activists arrested
What they're saying:
Tear gas left dozens with burning eyes, but the real sting came with the realization that their plan to free 2,000 beagles was about to fall 2,000 beagles short.
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"It’s disappointing," said Brenda Obremski of New York. "I did not drive 900 miles to say ‘oh well.’"
"Please let us rescue the dogs," said Carla Cabral of California.
Scene outside Ridglan Farms on Saturday, April 18.
Animal welfare advocates came from across the country – and beyond – to the small Dane County town of Blue Mounds with a singular purpose.
"Power in numbers," said Jenny McQueen, who came from Canada. "It's essential to get those dogs out."
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A little more than a month ago, more than 60 activists broke into Ridglan Farms and hauled 22 beagles away to rescue homes. This time, law enforcement was ready to defend the facility with rubber bullets and tear gas.
"It was clear from the beginning that this was not going to be a peaceful protest," Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said in a statement. "The DCSO response to the active break-in attempts by hundreds of protesters was appropriate and proportionate to the behaviors observed. With the assistance of our partner agencies, we were able to maintain order without anyone being seriously injured. We care about the welfare of all animals in our Dane County community. Resorting to crime, chaos, and violence is not the solution."
Dane County sheriff's deputies arrested the operation's chief organizer, Wayne Hsiung. The sheriff's office said "a significant number" of people were arrested, but the exact details were not released.
Scene outside Ridglan Farms on Saturday, April 18.
One protester, named Nicholas Dickman, said he said law enforcement knocked out his teeth. A Dane County Sheriff's Office spokesperson said she had not yet verified that claim, so she declined to comment.
What's next:
It was not the outcome so many activists from across the country were hoping for Saturday. One told FOX6 Investigators over the phone that it was a total defeat. Nonetheless, they are hoping the national attention this action brings will be the next chance to rescue the Ridglan Farms dogs.
Ridglan Farms breeds beagles for scientific experiments. The owners recently agreed to give up their breeding license by July 1 as part of an agreement to avoid animal cruelty charges.
PHOTO GALLERY: Attempted break-in at Ridglan Farms
Official statements
What they're saying:
The Dane County Sheriff's Office released the following statement on its Facebook page:
On Saturday, April 18, at 8:52 am, the Dane County Sheriff’s Office responded to approximately 1000 activists converging on Ridglan Farms in the town of Blue Mounds. What was originally publicized as a planned protest and break-in of the facility for Sunday, April 19th, was abruptly changed by the organizer, Wayne Hsiung, following an organizational meeting this morning.
Initially, approximately 20 law enforcement officers from throughout the county responded. Within minutes, an LRAD (Long Range Acoustic Device) broadcast a message to protestors informing them that if they trespassed onto clearly marked private property, they would be subject to arrest. As hundreds attempted to break through barriers and fencing on the farm, others blocked roadways to slow the response of law enforcement and other emergency personnel.
The group’s leader, Wayne Hsiung, was arrested within minutes of arriving at Ridglan Farms based on probable cause for conspiracy to commit burglary. He is currently being held in the Dane County Jail.
The Sheriff’s Office pre-planned a tiered response to resistance, should it be necessary. The response was strategic and appropriate to the activists' actions. At one point, a vehicle drove recklessly through the property until law enforcement stopped it and arrested the driver, preventing a potentially deadly outcome.
While some protestors remained peaceful, those who ignored verbal warnings with the clear intent to break into the facility were first met with tear gas as a deterrent. If they continued to escalate their efforts, they were met with less-lethal 40mm munitions and pepper balls.
A significant number of arrests were made; the exact details of those arrests are still being compiled. Jail booking information can be found on the Sheriff’s Office website, https://danesheriff.com/Residents, or on the Sheriff’s App.
"It was clear from the beginning that this was not going to be a peaceful protest," said Sheriff Kalvin Barrett. "The DCSO response to the active break-in attempts by hundreds of protesters was appropriate and proportionate to the behaviors observed. With the assistance of our partner agencies, we were able to maintain order without anyone being seriously injured. We care about the welfare of all animals in our Dane County community. Resorting to crime, chaos, and violence is not the solution."
A large quantity of evidence was recovered, including burglary tools such as saws, fence cutters, and sledgehammers. Handcuff keys and tear gas were also seized from activists. Additionally, during the attempted break-in, activists attempted to divert resources by overwhelming Dane County’s 911 center and inundating the Sheriff’s Office with phone calls.
The Dane County Sheriff’s Office extends our sincere appreciation to more than 17 first responder agencies from across the county and the state who assisted our deputies today. Their support was critical to managing a large-scale, volatile situation.
This will be an ongoing investigation by the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, and we will continue to provide updates as it progresses. The Sheriff’s Office has also provided an FAQ page on our website regarding Ridglan Farms.
Ridglan Farms released the following statement:
"If any break-in participants, their supporters or police were injured today, the fault lies squarely on the shoulders of Wayne Hsiung, who organized, egged on and then led hundreds of individuals in a violent assault on a veterinary medicine research facility dedicated to improving the health of our pet animals.
"Instead of respecting the rule of law and the results of a thorough investigation which led to a binding legal agreement between the state of Wisconsin and Ridglan Farms, Mr Hsiung decided to encourage lawlessness and vigilantism because he did not personally agree with the results of the legal process.
"Today’s actions included the decision by one break-in participant to crash a vehicle through the gate of Ridglan Farms and then drive at high speed through the property nearly hitting several law enforcement officers, bystanders and a large capacity propane tank. These actions could have easily resulted in several injuries or even deaths. Following today’s violence and suggestions by this same group to target farms and other research facilities in the future, we hope the U.S. legal system will hold Mr. Hsiung and his many accomplices fully accountable.
"Because Mr. Hsiung has a significant criminal history across several states, including a felony conviction, we are encouraging the State Bar of California to immediately suspend Mr. Hsiung’s law license and then initiate disbarment proceedings against him."
Editor's note: This story has been updated with new information, as well as a correction to the spelling of Ridglan.
The Source: FOX6 Investigators are at the scene in Dane County on Saturday. Information in this post is also from the Dane County sheriff and prior coverage.