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PRESS

Petaluma Farm Co-Owner Testifies Animal Welfare Activists ‘Startled’ Chickens

October 6, 2023

Press Democrat

[Direct Action Everywhere/DxE] argues they believed the animals were being mistreated. Referencing California’s animal cruelty laws, they contend they had the right to rescue animals in distress.

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PRESS

Petaluma Farm Co-Owner Testifies Animal Welfare Activists ‘Startled’ Chickens

October 6, 2023

Press Democrat

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PRESS

Court Watch: ‘Open Rescue’ Trial Underway

October 6, 2023

Davis Vanguard

In Deputy District Attorney Robert Waner’s opening statement, the prosecutor told jurors Hsiung and DxE activists believe that compassion should be extended to all animals.

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PRESS

Court Watch: ‘Open Rescue’ Trial Underway

October 6, 2023

Davis Vanguard

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PRESS

Sonoma Rescue Trial Defense Can't Show Animal Cruelty Video

October 6, 2023

UnchainedTV

The judge in the Sonoma rescue trial of animal rights activist Wayne Hsiung has ruled against allowing him to show videos of suffering ducks and chickens to the jury.

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PRESS

Sonoma Rescue Trial Defense Can't Show Animal Cruelty Video

October 6, 2023

UnchainedTV

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PRESS

Activist Tells Sonoma County Jury He Committed No Crime; Sought Only to Help Animals

October 5, 2023

North Bay Business Journal

Hsiung told jurors Thursday the activists support transparency and their ultimate goal is to expose mistreatment of animals. “You cannot fight a shadow with more shadows. You fight a shadow with light,” he said.

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PRESS

Activist Tells Sonoma County Jury He Committed No Crime; Sought Only to Help Animals

October 5, 2023

North Bay Business Journal

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PRESS

Letter to the Editor: It’s Time to Confront Violence Toward Animals

October 4, 2023

The Daily Illini

Open rescue doesn’t just win legal victories — it raises larger societal questions about how animals ought to be treated. If animals have a right to be rescued, should we even allow them to be exploited or killed in the first place?

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PRESS

Letter to the Editor: It’s Time to Confront Violence Toward Animals

October 4, 2023

The Daily Illini

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PRESS

Activists Protest 4th Horse Death in Two Weeks at Golden Gate Fields

October 3, 2023

KTVU/Fox 2

"It's tragic, but it's not that surprising," [activist] Paul Darwin Picklesimer said. "The deaths are just simply inherent. No matter what they do, there are always going to be deaths."

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PRESS

Activists Protest 4th Horse Death in Two Weeks at Golden Gate Fields

October 3, 2023

KTVU/Fox 2

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BLOG

A Baby Chicken Taught Me to Never Give Up Hope. His Name is Vincent.

October 1, 2023

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BLOG

A Baby Chicken Taught Me to Never Give Up Hope. His Name is Vincent.

October 1, 2023

To everyone who doesn’t believe in a better world, I understand. I feel your pain and I know how hard it is to keep going in a world as painful as ours. But, just a glimmer of hope saved Vincent’s life and it might just save the rest of the animals, too. So please, don’t give up.

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PRESS

COURT WATCH: 2nd California Animal Rights Trial Involving ‘Open Rescue’ Ongoing in Santa Rosa

September 25, 2023

Davis Vanguard

Hsiung is proceeding to trial as his own attorney, facing multiple felony conspiracy charges for his involvement in mass protests where hundreds of activists openly rescued animals at factory farms in Sonoma County in 2018 and 2019.

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PRESS

COURT WATCH: 2nd California Animal Rights Trial Involving ‘Open Rescue’ Ongoing in Santa Rosa

September 25, 2023

Davis Vanguard

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PRESS

1 of 2 Activists Accused of Stealing Livestock from Petaluma Farms Reaches Deal

September 22, 2023

Press Democrat

Priya Sawhney pleaded no contest to two counts of trespassing and was ordered to do 100 hours of community service through the Sonoma County Volunteer Center.

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PRESS

1 of 2 Activists Accused of Stealing Livestock from Petaluma Farms Reaches Deal

September 22, 2023

Press Democrat

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Our Top Press Hits

TOP PRESS

Animal Rights Activists Rescued Two Piglets From Slaughter. They Wanted to Get Caught.

February 23, 2022

The New Republic

DxE investigators are pressing for a trial they hope will go down as a pivotal moment in the history of the animal rights movement.

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TOP PRESS

Prosecutors Silence Evidence of Cruel Factory Farm Practices in Animal Rights Cases

January 30, 2022

The Intercept

The government wants to keep juries from seeing gruesome evidence of animals in distress, demonstrating yet again the massive power corporations wield in our current system.

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TOP PRESS

An animal rights activist was in court on criminal charges. Why was the case suddenly dismissed?

January 23, 2022

The Guardian

DxE's investigation of ventilation shutdown is probably the most important investigation in more than a decade, said Justin Marceau, an animal law scholar and professor at the University of Denver.

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TOP PRESS

Compassion Is Not a Crime: Animal Rights Activist Avoids Jail After Conviction for Baby Goat Rescue

December 8, 2021

Democracy Now!

In conversation with host Amy Goodman, DxE investigator Wayne Hsiung asks “Are the living creatures of this Earth property, or are they living creatures that deserve some form of dignity and respect?”

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TOP PRESS

A US activist took a sick goat from a meat farm – now he faces seven years in jail

December 6, 2021

The Guardian

This case is about smashing the myth of benevolent small-scale farms, which may talk of free-range and happy animals, but still ultimately treat animals as property and slaughter them for profit.

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TOP PRESS

Animal rights activists opposed to ‘factory farms’ protest outside Gavin Newsom’s home

September 29, 2021

The Sacramento Bee

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TOP PRESS

Chickens Severely Mistreated At “Humane” California Slaughterhouse, New Video Alleges

September 29, 2021

The Intercept

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TOP PRESS

Berkeley to serve vegan meals at jails, public buildings

July 29, 2021

The Hill

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TOP PRESS

Industry foe charged under Iowa's new food trespassing law

April 8, 2021

ABC News

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DxE's Blog

BLOG

Believing Is the First Step to Animal Liberation

September 10, 2024

If people do not believe that they can change a situation, they will never act to do so. If we do not believe that animal liberation is possible and that we can make it happen, it never will. In fact, animal agriculture and other unjust systems rely on our hopelessness and cynicism.

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BLOG

Ten Things You Need to Know About the Company Trying to Put Me in Prison

April 29, 2024

My findings show that “No Antibiotics Ever” just means that the chickens are still experiencing severe infection but they aren’t receiving the medication they desperately need. In one barn at a Petaluma Poultry factory farm in Santa Rosa, more than 10% of the chickens died by the time they reached 5 weeks. That is more than double the accepted industry mortality rate.

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BLOG

Newcomer's Perspective

December 26, 2023

The Sonoma County Court's actions didn't stop me but, instead, spurred me to further action just as it did for many others.

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BLOG

I’m Facing over 20 Years in Prison for Rescuing Animals, But I Am Not Afraid

December 2, 2023

Whether I lose my freedom for days, weeks, months, or even years, it is worth it to give even one or two animals a chance to experience freedom for the first time in their entire lives.

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BLOG

A Baby Chicken Taught Me to Never Give Up Hope. His Name is Vincent.

October 1, 2023

To everyone who doesn’t believe in a better world, I understand. I feel your pain and I know how hard it is to keep going in a world as painful as ours. But, just a glimmer of hope saved Vincent’s life and it might just save the rest of the animals, too. So please, don’t give up.

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BLOG

This Disabled Duck is at the Center of a Felony Case. His Name is Bruce.

August 30, 2023

If you saw a little duckling on his back, paddling his legs and struggling to get back up, what would you do? Would you keep walking? Or would you help him? 

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BLOG

Exposing Petaluma Poultry

July 1, 2023

Since 2018, DxE investigators have documented routine violations of California's animal cruelty laws at Petaluma Poultry factory farms, but the authorities refuse to intervene -- so they are taking action themselves to rescue the animals.

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BLOG

A Letter to the Editor Re: "Churchill Downs to Cease Racing as It Investigates Deaths of Horses"

June 5, 2023

Your story on the shutdown of the Kentucky Derby racetrack failed to provide important context: the growing worldwide movement to abolish horseracing.

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BLOG

Free Speech under Attack in Rural America

May 23, 2023

During my time in Utah, I found people willing to have open and honest discussions. Why, then, are high-ranking members of the Church and the police attempting to stop that from happening? Could it be that egregious abuses documented by DxE at Smithfield were getting too close to those in power? When open dialogue threatens a power structure, it’s time to scrutinize that power structure.

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Our Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE

State Capitol Demonstration Saturday Demands Factory Farm Moratorium

May 28, 2021

3-day occupation at Governor Newsom’s home culminated with march to State Capitol building for “No More Factory Farms” rally

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PRESS RELEASE

BREAKING: Animal Rights Activist Disrupts Preakness Stakes Trophy Presentation

May 14, 2021

Group currently being sued by billionaire track owners calls for end to horse racing, citing animal cruelty

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PRESS RELEASE

UC Berkeley’s Sproul Plaza Fountain Dyed Blood Red After Chancellor and Director of Dining Defend Sourcing from Tyson Foods

May 9, 2021

University administrators falsely claim agribusiness giant isn’t engaged in factory farming, according to students

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PRESS RELEASE

Following UC Berkeley Dining Facility Lockdown, Students Secure Meeting with Chancellor

April 9, 2021

Citing animal cruelty exposés, activists demand the university stop supplying from factory farms

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PRESS RELEASE

Land O’ Lakes Dairy Exposé Reveals Freezing Calves, Widespread Violations of Company Policy and the Law

April 5, 2021

Workers seen dragging newborn calves by their ears

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PRESS RELEASE

24-Hour Demonstration Underway at Gavin Newsom’s House, Featuring Giant Newsom Head

March 24, 2021

Activists are calling for Newsom to enact a statewide moratorium on factory farms and slaughterhouses

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PRESS RELEASE

Activists in Coalinga with 50-foot Banner and Giant Gavin Newsom Head Protest Harris Ranch

March 5, 2021

Following exposé with workers cutting the throats of fully-conscious cows, demonstrators demand moratorium banning new factory farms and slaughterhouses

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PRESS RELEASE

BREAKING: Chained Activists Occupy California Horse Racing Track, Stopping Thursday’s Races

March 3, 2021

4 Bay Area residents locked down at Berkeley’s Golden Gate Fields horse racing facility, using heavily-weighted PVC pipes in a direct action maneuver called a “sleeping dragon.”

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PRESS RELEASE

Fully Conscious Cows’ Throats Slit in First-Ever Footage Inside Costco-Supplying Slaughterhouse

March 2, 2021

Graphic hidden-camera footage DxE investigators obtained inside Harris Beef in Selma, CA reveals cows systematically restrained and killed with a slice to the throat while fully conscious.

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