Animal welfare group plans demonstration in downtown Santa Rosa

A group of animal welfare activists that staged a series of protests at Sonoma County poultry farms last year will hold a rally and march in downtown Santa Rosa Saturday.

Organizers with the Bay Area chapter of animal welfare group Direct Action Everywhere said they hope to gather 200 activists concerned about the treatment of animals at Old Courthouse Square starting about 12:30 p.m. with speakers, exhibits and songs.

Featured speakers will include some of the six protesters charged with felony crimes for trespassing onto poultry farms and taking chickens away, including a September protest when about 15 chickens were removed from a Petaluma-area farm.

Those arrested contend they were lawfully rescuing sick animals from what they claimed were inhumane conditions.

“We want to elevate what’s happening in Sonoma County - what’s happening, first and foremost, to animals,” said Matt Johnson, a spokesman for the group, also known as DxE. “We’ve reported pretty straight-forward criminal animal cruelty to relevant authorities. But the bottom line is no one is interested in prosecuting or having a real discussion about what are we seeing here.”

Agricultural leaders in Sonoma County have said the protesters are terrorizing local farmers.

Farmers have said the protesters put the animals at risk of disease by entering properties without protective gear.

Sonoma County sheriff’s deputies arrested 58 people involved in the protests last year. Of those, six have been charged with felony crimes and 15 have been charged with misdemeanor crimes. A preliminary hearing for those facing felony charges is scheduled for May 3.

Saturday’s event is slated to include a march around downtown and end about 3 p.m.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 707-521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jjpressdem.