Animal rights activists trying to prevent the "cruel" export of 50,000 live sheep to the Middle East clashed with police at a port in Tasmania yesterday, protesters and officials said.
Twelve people were arrested in a series of incidents that began as activists used kayaks and inflatable boats in an attempt to prevent the Al Messilah livestock transport ship from entering Devenport, police said.
When that failed, some of the 40 demonstrators chained themselves to the ship's gangway while others lay down in front of trucks delivering the first sheep to the harbor for export to Kuwait.
The Australian group Animal Liberation said the activists wanted to spare the sheep a two-week "journey of suffering."
"The sheep face a long and arduous journey ending in ritual slaughter in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, countries where there are absolutely no animal welfare safeguards against appalling handling and unbelievably cruel slaughter methods," the group said in a statement.
A police spokesman said officers would remain at the wharf to ensure "that public order is maintained and the roadway remains clear and free of obstruction to facilitate the movement of traffic whilst ensuring the safety of protesters."
Protests against the trade in live animals reached a peak in August 2003 when Saudi Arabia turned away the MV Cormo Express with its load of 57,000 sheep, claiming they had scabby mouth disease.
After almost three months at sea in confined conditions and amidst outraged protests from animal welfare activists, about 44,000 surviving sheep were donated to the impoverished African nation of Eritrea.
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