Actions not helping cause

Vegan activists have only harmed their cause according to one business owner who wound up on Aussie Farms "attack” map in recent months.

UNWANTED ISSUE: Hugh Paterson, from Boss Meats, said they were targeted in the Aussie Farm maps scandal. Picture: Matthew Purcell

VEGAN activists have only harmed their cause according to one business owner who wound up on Aussie Farms "attack” map in recent months.

Over the weekend protesters stormed Carey Bros Abbatoir in Yangan and trespassed on a Freestone dairy farm.

Greg Paterson, from Stanthorpe's Boss Meats, who is supplied by Carey Bros, has taken precautions following recent events.

"The police visited me last Thursday,” Mr Paterson said.

"They more or less told me not to take matters into my own hands and call them and let them deal with it.

"I am on the Aussie Farms map as an abattoir, which is a mistake on their behalf. I wasn't really that concerned but did take precautions in case.”

Mr Paterson said the Carey Bros incident did have an impact.

"It did make an impact on my business because I had cattle and pigs at the abattoir Sunday night when it happened. It really shouldn't have happened,” he said.

"People are becoming reasonably fragile about the whole issue of being targeted.

"A lot of people out there seem to want to put pressure on people like me and it's unwarranted.”

He's questioned where the group is receiving their backing from.

He said there were claims made on social media about government groups providing funding but "it was on social media so I wouldn't take it as gospel though”.

Mr Paterson has been a butcher his whole life and operates Boss Meats with son, Hugh.

The rise of vegan activism is a problem new to him.

"It's new within the last 18 months I suppose. The rise of these small minority groups.

" I take it back to education and what they're being taught,” he said.

"I don't think they've done themselves any favours over the last four or five days. From what I've seen there's been huge public backlash.

"I just hope there's charges pressed for this latest incident in Yangan. There's always somebody trying to force their beliefs down your throat,” he said.