Animal activist Arkadiusz Swiebodzinski put in ‘chokehold’ by police at Queensland pig farm

Two animal activists protesting at a Queensland piggery have been arrested by police, who allegedly placed one of them in a chokehold on camera.

Queensland police have been filmed placing a protester in a “chokehold” after he and another man allegedly trespassed at a piggery near Toowoomba.

The pair were part of a group police said was close to 30 people in size, who showed up to protest on Monday morning, arriving at a pig farm to find police already waiting for them.

“They were there before we got there, they anticipated us there, we’re talking probably at least 15 police officers, many of them were undercover,” Direct Action Everywhere and Meat The Victims activist Arkadiusz Swiebodzinski told news.com.au.

Queensland Police would only confirm that “multiple” officers attended.

Two members of the group allegedly trespassed onto the farm, streaming it live on Facebook.

Mr Swiebodzinski said the group was there to talk to the farm managers about claims of animal cruelty at the piggery.

“We got to the facility with the intentions of politely asking the farm manager whether we can go inside and check the advice we got from many other activists,” he said.

“We were prepared with biohazard suits, gloves, disinfectant, masks, we know the biohazard security rules inside of those facilities and we always adhere to them.

“Once they declined us to come inside I still proceeded with respect to the biohazard security rules.”

Arkadiusz Swiebodzinski crawling under a gate to get into a piggery.

He and another activist filmed pigs in farrowing crates.

Farrowing crates are supposedly used to protect piglets being crushed by their mother.

Mr Swiebodzinski and another activist, Shaun Figueiredo, broke off from the group, ran through fields and climbed through fences before sneaking under a gate to get into the piggery.

Inside they filmed mother pigs with their young held in “farrowing crates”.

The intention of these crates is to prevent piglets getting crushed by sows, and pigs are only supposed to spend a few weeks in them after giving birth.

According to the RSPCA, farrowing crates and similar “sow stalls” can cause psychological distress to pigs by cutting off their ability to interact with other pigs, as well as cause them physical issues.

“Because they are unable to exercise, their muscles and bones deteriorate and they may have great difficulty in standing up or lying down,” the organisation said on its website.

The crates prevent sows from moving around.

They can also cause psychological distress, but are commonly used.

Mr Swiebodzinski and Mr Figueiredo filmed the pigs in the crates for a number of minutes before police showed up and arrested them both, with one officer shown on a camera held by Mr Figueiredo appearing to place Mr Swiebodzinski in a chokehold.

“The police officer (approached) from behind, throwing his arm around my neck and holding me in a chokehold,” Mr Swiebodzinski told news.com.au.

“He screamed at me, ... told me that I‘m arrested. He was screaming ‘I told you not to go in here’”.

Mr Swiebodzinski alleged the officer threw him to the ground “as soon as he took me out of the shed, put both knees on my body, handcuffed me behind my back and searched me”.

He said his jaw is “a bit sore” but that he is otherwise fine.

Arkadiusz Swiebodzinski was filmed appearing to be put in a ‘chokehold’ by a Qld police officer. The other activist was also arrested.

Last year, Queensland Agricultural Minister Mark Furner introduced new laws to crack down on “animal rights zealots invading farms in illegal protests”.

One of those laws allows police and agriculture department officials to issue on the spot fines, which is “a faster penalty than pursing trespass charges”.

Qld police is pursuing trespass charges.

The cops confirmed the two activists arrested on Monday have been charged with trespass and issued infringement notices for allegedly breaching a biosecurity order.

A police media spokesperson told news.com.au questions regarding the use of force in Mr Swiebodzinski’s arrest “will require more time”.

Mr Swiebodzinski said the pair had on “full bio hazard suits as opposed to the workers and the police”.

“We‘re just getting charged left, right and centre for anything they can find on us, really,” Mr Swiebodzinski said.