When Protests Are Too Much

Here is something you don’t hear about everyday: 500,000 pigs faced the risk of dying in Santiago, Chile because the delivery of food and water for them was made difficult by protesters.

An AFP report tells of the plight of half a million pigs in a pig-farm in Freirina, which is located some 500 miles from Santiago. The situation came to be after a number of protestors/demonstrators were objecting to the foul odors known to hail from the facility, which then led to rioting, with the reported burning of two police automobiles being the riot’s bigger “casualties”.

More than 20 arrests had already been done, but this didn’t stop protestors from cutting off road access to the pig-farm. The result was – half a million pigs, without their proper feeding and care regimens, were dying.

The facility, owned by Agrosuper, had to be temporarily closed and was declared as a sanitary alert area, given the health and sanitation risks linked to the half a million pigs’ condition.

It is reported that there were problems with the facility’s ventilation system, which had caused the “reflux” of odors which riled up locals into vehemently protesting against the continued operations of the facility.

Reports tell that locals and officials of the facility have undergone negotiations, in resolving the concerns and issues related to the whole incident.

A casual observer would be quick to think that the whole situation could have been better handled, without any sanitation risks or property damage ensuing from the situation. But far be it for anyone to judge others, the story tells a lot about how hot heads and not thinking straight could cause for unnecessary incidents and problems.

Bottom line, it pays to keep cool, especially when half a million pigs is involved.