Ontario farmers develop intel to manage protesters

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Farmers in Ontario are getting organized when it comes to preparing for protesters they worry could disrupt a meeting or create a nuisance on their property. The Toronto Sun reports that farmers are monitoring online activity by animal rights activists and "developing their own security squad" to be deployed in cases where protection is needed.

Kristen Kelderman, farm animal care co-ordinator for Farm & Food Care, says there is a hotline farmers can use to call in the security squad, and that Farm & Food Care works "behind the scenes" to keep an eye on protesters' plans.

Apparently this monitoring system was in force in time for the January meeting of the Dairy Farmers of Ontario, when protesters dressed in cow costumes lobbied passersby to "Dump dairy." Organizers were aware of the planned protest in advance and hired extra security personnel. BF