A documentary published Sunday by The Intercept follows the story of six animal rights activists with the group Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) who are facing felony charges—which could result in decades behind bars—for rescuing sickly animals from two factory farms in Utah.
Those arrested rescued turkeys from a Norbest-owned farm and pigs from Smithfield Farms, a Chinese-owned corporation. The cases have cast a spotlight on the state's Big Ag-friendly laws.
"I've received six felony charges now—six felonies for taking animals to the vet—and that's, that's a horrible feeling," said Paul Picklesimer of DxE. "We know that the reason that we're being prosecuted is not really for rescuing sick animals—the reason is because we exposed animal cruelty and that shows the power of a legal system and what it can do to repress justice movements in general."
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