Protesters storm Swedish mink farm

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TOMELILLA, Sweden, March 17 (UPI) -- Approximately 50 protesters stormed a mink farm in Tomelilla, Sweden, disrupting the minks' mating season and disturbing their cages, police said.

Peter Marinsson of the Skane police said, "They shook the cages to bother and scare the minks who are at the moment busy in the mating season. They also harassed the farmer," the Swedish TT news agency reported.

The protest Saturday in southern Sweden allegedly was perpetrated by the animal rights group, Djurrattsalliansen, an activist group that seeks the closure of the six remaining mink farms in the region, but the group denied participation in the attack, TT reported.

Djurrattsalliansen's web site said, "The struggle to close Skane's six remaining mink farms continues" and includes a celebration of the closure of a farm in Svedala, TT reported.

"The fur industry has had over 20 years to conform to animal protection legislation and study after study has shown that they haven't addressed the animals' serious behavioral problems," the group said.