Sun, 19 Apr 2026 10:27:02 +0000
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by Elena Vance -

About 1,000 activists clash with police at Ridglan Farms; leader arrested

About 1,000 animal-rights activists attempted to gain entry to Ridglan Farms in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, on April 18, 2026, according to accounts of the demonstration. The group advanced on the beagle breeding and research facility in a second major attempt in recent months to enter the site.

Law enforcement used rubber bullets and deployed pepper spray and other chemical irritants to disperse or repel the crowd as the attempt unfolded. Authorities said protesters did not succeed in removing dogs during the April 18 action.

The group's leader, Wayne Hsiung, was arrested during the confrontation, and officials said a "significant" number of protesters were taken into custody; exact arrest totals were still being processed. An earlier break-in at the facility in March had resulted in dogs being removed and additional arrests.

Ridglan Farms, which coverage alternately spells Ridglan or Ridgland, is a beagle breeding facility that has faced prior protests and legal scrutiny; in October it agreed to relinquish its state breeding license effective July 1 as part of a deal to avoid prosecution on animal mistreatment claims. Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett described the April 18 action as: "This is not a peaceful protest."