Activists occupy pig farm in Markvartice to protest breeding conditions

Activists occupied a pig farm in Markvartice, located in the Jihlava region, on Sunday morning to protest the conditions of sow breeding. The group targeted the facility, operated by Zemědělská společnost Stará Říše s. r. o., to highlight the use of farrowing cages that restrict the movement of animals for several weeks.

Protesters entered the facility and displayed banners with messages such as “Legal does not mean moral.” A spokesperson for the group stated their goal was to show the public the suffering occurring behind commercial meat packaging. While some activists remained outside the gates, others breached the interior of the farm.

Police arrived at approximately 7:00 AM after farm representatives reported the intrusion. Following a two-hour standoff where protesters refused to leave, authorities removed and escorted 24 individuals to a police station.

The farm's chief zootechnician, Zdenka Pokorná, expressed concerns regarding biosecurity, noting that the unauthorized entry into the farrowing area could introduce diseases such as African swine fever to the 120 sows and their offspring.