'It's shameful': Prime minister Scott Morrison admonishes animal activists as vigilantes bring parts of Melbourne to a standstill
- Chaos as thousands of animal rights activists stage protests across country
- Flinders Street at Melbourne brought to standstill with large protest underway
- Prime Minister Scott Morrison slammed 'shameful' actions of vegan protesters
- 'It is shameful, it is un-Australian,' Mr Morrison told 2GB radio on Monday
Scott Morrison has admonished as 'un-Australian' the animal activists behind a controversial map of farmers' addresses and contact details.
The prime minister has also scolded the 'shameful' actions of vegan protesters who have invaded farms and abattoirs.
'It is shameful, it is un-Australian,' Mr Morrison told 2GB radio on Monday.
'This is just another form of activism that I think runs against the national interest, and the national interest is being able to farm their own land.'
His comments come as thousands of animal rights activists caused traffic chaos across Australian capital cities as part of a large and co-ordinated mass protest.
Scott Morrison has admonished as 'un-Australian' the animal activists behind a controversial map of farmers' addresses and contact details
The prime minister has also scolded the 'shameful' actions of vegan protesters who have invaded farms and abattoirs
Vigilantes brought parts of Melbourne to a standstill on Monday morning, with 'the largest protest the world has ever seen' still planned at slaughterhouses and businesses in Brisbane and Hobart.
Hundreds have gathered at Flinders Street in the Victorian capital, with vans parked on the road and blocking lanes of traffic.
Protesters have even gone to the length of chaining themselves to cars while their counterparts wave placards that read, 'vegan rising' or 'this is a peaceful protest'.
Police are on site and motorists are being urged to allow extra time for travel.
'A protest currently underway in the CBD has the Flinders Street Swanston Street intersection blocked,' VicRoads said.
Around 5am, dozens of activists chained themselves to machinery at Carey Bros Abattoir at Yangan, 100km south-west of Brisbane, and demanded the release of three lambs.
Listeners have already called into 3AW and reported similar scenes of chaos at Laverton - at the Australian Food Group abattoir - M.C Herd in Geelong, Toowoomba, and Pakenham South abattoirs.
Goulburn police have already arrested nine protesters after they stormed an abattoir on Mazamat Road and chained themselves to a conveyor.
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Police cut the protesters free and are expected to bring charges against the three men - one aged 46 and two aged 22 - and six women - aged between 21 and 61 - later today.
At Warwick, 130km south-west of Brisbane, about 20 animal rights vigilantes have chained themselves to an abattoir with up to 200 standing outside.
The large group has called fro an end to the 'barbaric slaughter' of the sheep and pigs.
The National Farmers Federation and the Australian Livestock Exporters Council have also tried to warn farmers after an interactive map highlighting their locations was shared among the activists.
The CFA is supporting police to free activists who have chained themselves to a truck in Pakenham - 56 km south-east of Melbourne.
Listeners have already called into 3AW and reported similar scenes of chaos at Laverton - at the Australian Food Group abattoir - M.C Herd in Geelong, Toowoomba, and Pakenham South abattoirs
Goulburn police have already arrested nine protesters after they stormed an abattoir on Mazamat Road and chained themselves to a conveyor
The Morrison government has put the Aussie Farms website under privacy laws, exposing it to much tougher penalties for refusing to take down the map.
And as about 20 animal rights campaigners chain themselves to equipment at a Queensland abattoir, the prime minister expects the police to play a role.
'I'm expecting state governments - as I'm sure they will - to do their jobs,' he said.
Up to 200 others remained outside the Warwick facility, protesting against what they said was the barbaric slaughter of sheep and pigs.
Brad King, from the activist group Farm Animal Rescue, was among those at the protest and said animals slaughtered at the site had endured terrifying deaths.
On Sunday, Queensland Agriculture Minister Mark Furner said he'd had a gutful of activists putting farms at risk.
He is drafting regulations that would allow police and agriculture ministers to slap protesters with on-the-spot fines.
The Morrison government has put the Aussie Farms website under privacy laws, exposing it to much tougher penalties for refusing to take down the map
And as about 20 animal rights campaigners chain themselves to equipment at a Queensland abattoir, the prime minister expects the police to play a role
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