TWENTY-TWO animal rights protesters were arrested after violent clashes with police during a demonstration outside a cat breeding farm near Witney.

More than 500 activists from across the country gathered at Hillgrove Farm in Minster Lovell, yesterday.

Thames Valley Police brought in 280 officers, including 30 from Gloucestershire. The force helicopter watched from the air and officers on horseback patrolled the perimeter of the farm.

Officers dressed in riot gear clashed with protesters when 50 people began to pull down a 12ft metal fence.

When it collapsed, officers stood in a line and forced demonstrators away from the edge of the farm, where farmer Chris Brown breeds virus-free cats for animal research. At least four of those arrested were women and all 20 were interviewed by police in connection with public order and criminal damage offences.

After the protest, in which no-one was seriously hurt, more than 150 demonstrators began to march into Witney town centre carrying banners, before they dispersed.

Thames Valley Police spokesman Helen Roberts said the cost of policing the protests to date was now £500,000. She said: "This was a national demonstration with people coming from all over the country. We knew there would be about 500 protesters, so we had to employ a certain number of police officers." Cynthia O'Neill, of Save The Hillgrove Cats Campaign, was not outside the farm yesterday because under a new anti-stalking law she is not allowed within a mile of the farm.

She said: "The fact that I have been arrested won't stop me from standing on the side of the road a mile away holding my banners and my megaphone. This was one of the biggest demonstrations so far and we will keep going until the farm closes."

Clare Baumberg, 52, who runs a cat sanctuary near Dover, and attended the protest, said: "We think what happens at the farm is cruel. Some people get very wound up emotionally and that is why they have started to pull down the fences."

Chris Brown said: "Once the protesters start damaging my property, they are no longer demonstrating peacefully, as they claim.

"I am grateful to the police for their assistance but like everyone else I am disappointed that they have to waste so much time, money and energy on something that is not achieving anything. However, we have to stop mob rule."

Three people were due to appear before Bicester magistrates today. A man and a woman will be charged with assaulting a police constable while a third woman was arrested under a warrant. Eighteen people will appear before Witney magistrates in March. One man was released with no charge.

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