Arson and danger in live export protest
Live export companies say radical animal rights activists are putting lives at risk after an arson attack on a feedlot and attempts to sabotage brake lines on trucks used by the industry.
Workers arrived at the Rural Exports and Trading feedlot near Mundijong yesterday to find a truck destroyed by fire and "stop live exports" sprayed on a shed.
Rural Exports and Trading general manager Mike Gordon said it was the second major attack on the feedlot this year.
A tractor and other machinery were vandalised in June causing $30,000 damage.
"I doubt mainstream animal welfare groups would condone this but there are radicals who don't care about the consequence of their actions," Mr Gordon said.
"The fire spread into the bush and if it was a bit drier could have got out of control. It is malicious and criminal damage and is going too far. It is creating a very dangerous situation."
Wellard Rural Exports, which has a feedlot in Baldivis, said its facilities and trucks were sabotaged in a series of incidents.
Chief executive Fred Troncone said activists put lives at risk when they cut brake lines and electrics between a prime mover and a trailer due to deliver grain to the Fremantle wharf.
"The brake lines were only partially severed so we potentially could have had an 80-tonne truck and trailer moving through Fremantle on Easter Sunday with faulty brakes," he said.
"We were lucky we found the sabotaged lines when we did because they were cut in a position that was obviously designed to hide the damage from detection.
"People have a right to protest, but they don't have a right to engage in criminal acts which put lives at risk."
Police are investigating the arson attack and Wellard incidents. Both companies are beefing up security.
Mr Troncone said that in other incidents electrical cords were cut, shearing machines and wool presses sabotaged, graffiti sprayed on buildings and padlocks damaged with glue.
Fremantle animal welfare group Stop Live Exports condemned the attacks and said it was unfortunate the slogan which forms its name was used.
Campaign co-ordinator Katrina Love said the group did not condone criminal or violent acts.
"I can't imagine any activist I know would do anything to put a person's or an animal's life at risk," Ms Love said.
'We could have had an 80-tonne truck and trailer in Fremantle with faulty brakes.'" Wellard chief executive
Fred Troncone *
