Residents of the San Antonio Limon community in Mexico were chased, shot at, and beaten by police after protesting a pork-processing plant. Two people were killed.
Community members claimed the plant was using too much water and polluting the local reservoir. Residents blocked a road, demanding that the government take action against the plant.
In response, around 400 police officers descended on the protestors, beating them and opening fire. Residents attempted to hide in their homes but were chased by police. Two brothers in their early and late 20s, Alberto and Jorge Cortina Vázquez, were killed. They were survived by a third brother, Carlos, who claimed they were not even part of the protest:
They were just passing by and when [the police] started to fire everyone ran. That’s when they started shooting at them.
The Meat Industry Versus Its Neighbors
Each year, slaughterhouses dump millions of pounds of feces, blood, and other contaminants into rivers and streams across the United States. In fact, slaughterhouses and meat-processing facilities are top industrial sources of phosphorus and nitrogen pollution, which promotes the growth of algae blooms. These blooms can make water unsafe for drinking or outdoor recreation and create oxygen-deprived zones that cause aquatic animals to flee or die.
According to an analysis by environmental protection organization Mighty Earth, America’s largest meat companies are to blame for the Gulf of Mexico dead zone.Â
Industrial animal agriculture often victimizes the most vulnerable among us. According to the EPA, in the United States a stunning 74% of meat plants discharging waste into waterways are within one mile of low-income communities or communities of color.Â
Take Action
We can stand in solidarity with those most impacted by factory farming! Take action today by adding more plant-based foods to your routine. Download our FREE How to Eat Veg guide to get started.
