Animal rights activists took to the roof of a national event in the beef industry to protest the meat industry.
The demonstration, which began in the early hours of Saturday, is said to have led a protester to hospital after chaos unfolded in front of the Darlington Farmers Auction Mart (DFAM) in Durham County.
The photos show masked Animal Justice Project (AJP) activists standing on the roof of the building, holding banners and spraying colored smoke rockets.
A spokesman for the group said campaign participants were left “covered in excrement” after it was alleged that one of those present used a sprayer to blow them up with manure.
The National Beef Association (NBA), which is organizing the show this weekend, describes it as a celebration of the best of British beef, attracting at least 5,000 guests a year.
AJP said his protest was “peaceful” and “silent” and aimed to highlight “the suffering of farm animals and environmental concerns”.
Police have been in place at 5am to stop the demonstration.
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An AJP spokesman told the PA: “We were sprayed with cow dung by a farmer using a machine.
“It was a peaceful protest and a silent protest, and we are overwhelmed and overwhelmed by hundreds of angry farmers.
An NBA spokesman said there was a “wonderful atmosphere” at the event and did not comment on the protest.
Durham police said: “Our staff is working to bring the protest to a safe end and to minimize the impact on the wider community.”
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