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‘Excelsior 4’: Animal activists set to enter not guilty plea in Abbotsford hog farm case

Animal rights activists expected to plead not guilty to charges, protest for Vancouver scheduled
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The Excelsior 4 are set to make their second court appearance in Abbotsford on Monday (Nov. 2). (Ben Lypka/Abbotsford News)

The four animal rights activists who invaded Abbotsford’s Excelsior Hog Farm to participate in a large protest will be making their second appearance at the Abbotsford Provincial Courthouse on Monday (Nov. 2) morning.

Amy Soranno, Jeff Rigear, Roy Sasano, and Nick Schafer, who want to be referred to now as the Excelsior 4, were arrested in August and face a total of 21 charges related to the protest.

RELATED: Four Abbotsford pig-farm activists now facing 21 charges after first court appearance

The appearance is scheduled for 9 a.m., and the defendants are expected to plead not guilty.

After Monday’s appearance, the Excelsior 4 will join supporters at noon for a demonstration and press conference at the headquarters of the BC Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BCSPCA) in Vancouver.

Animal rights activists are demanding that the BCSPCA use its authority to take action against Excelsior for its well-documented abuse of animals. The Excelsior 4 will make a public statement at the protest.

A press release from the group reiterates the belief that BCSPCA has not done enough to take action against Excelsior.

“Despite being in possession of documented evidence of criminal animal cruelty at Excelsior Hog Farm, the BCSPCA has not only failed to take enforcement action against Excelsior, it has also violated its own confidentiality policy by identifying a whistleblower to police,” the release reads.

Those comments echo what was said following the group’s first court appearance in Abbotsford in September.

RELATED: VIDEO: One person arrested at protest at Abbotsford pig farm



Ben Lypka

About the Author: Ben Lypka

I joined the Abbotsford News in 2015.
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