SLIDESHOW: Morgan fur farming protest
MORGAN -- The Francis family and a handful of their closest friends sat huddled around a fire near their front porch, waving as neighbors drove past honking their horns. A neighbor began passing out furs, which were quickly draped across necks.
It would seem more like a holiday party than the opening scenes of an animal rights protest that took the little town of Morgan by storm Saturday.
"The farmers are enjoying themselves today," said Teresa Platt, executive director of Fur Commission USA, who came from San Diego to Morgan for Thanksgiving and the protest. "It's a celebration of agriculture today in Morgan."
"It's the first time I've seen fur coats at a protest," Platt said.
While members of the Weber County SWAT team stood prepared with shields behind the Morgan County Courthouse, protestors marched beneath local business marquees professing their support of local mink farmers. "We support our farmers" was the message at the local grocery store.
"We knew the community was behind us, but it's more than we thought," said Jeff Francis, who has worked in the mink ranching business for more than 20 years. He woke earlier than usual Saturday morning to feed his mink, put away his dogs and post "No Trespassing" signs. "We didn't know what to expect."
L. Scott Francis, Jeff's father, started preparing for Saturday's protest in August when Salt Lake Animal Advocacy Movement first made public its intention to protest. He addressed Morgan city council members with fur farmers' concerns.
"We've been preparing for months," said L. Scott Francis, who has been a mink farmer for 50 years. "My gates are locked and my friends across the street are willing to help."
L. Scott Francis said it was difficult to see his farm pictured on furfreeutah.com, a Web site organized by the protestors. "But there's not much we can do," he said.
In an act of support for the ranchers, the Morgan County Council passed a picketing ordinance in September prohibiting protestors from coming within 1,000 feet of the property line of the proposed target in a residential area.
Last week, the council amended the restriction to 100 feet on legal advice.
The county is home to 15 mink farms, the largest concentration in the nation, according to furfreeutah.com, a Web site organized by the protestors.
However, residents remember as many as 45 in the county "in the good old days," said a neighbor who wished to remain unidentified as she watched protesters at the Seth Dawson mink farm.
"Economically, the farms are good for the community," she said, noting that several of her family members have worked on local mink farms for Christmas money over the years. "We've lived here over 60 years, and they have never bothered us. The protestors are messing with someone's income."
Although locals were willing to allow protestors their free speech rights, they were also happy to show their support.
"They have a right to free speech, as long as they're not blowing up feed plants and destroying million dollar property," said long-time mink rancher Smokey Dillree.
He and many locals were upset with the protestor's use of foul language while waving their signs at motorists in the small town. "The people of Morgan County handled the protest well."
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