The charity has been criticised for permitting the use of its land to vegans for use next summer (Stock photo)

An agricultural charity has faced criticism after it approved the use of its showground to host a series of 'sinister' vegan events.

In a three day event dubbed ‘the vegan camp-out’, activists from around the world meet annually to pitch up tents and take part in ‘workshops’.

This year, the meat-free event took place between August 30-1st September 2019, at the Newark Showground just outside Winthorpe in rural Nottinghamshire.

Speakers this year included Ronnie Lee, a convicted animal rights activist who founded the Animal Liberation Front and Canadian anti-dairy YouTuber Erin Janus who has spearheaded the message that “dairy is scary”.







During one of the talks, Dora Hargitai of Animal Rebellion which works closely with Extinction Rebellion, laid out their plans to disrupt Smithfield Market in October, the UK’s largest wholesale meat market in the UK through “civil disobedience”.

The showground has also been booked for the same event in 2020, sparking fresh concern from the local farming industry.

The decision to permit use of land for the event, which is run by the Newark and Nottinghamshire Agricultural Society has been branded both “ridiculous” and “dangerous” by the Countryside Alliance.

According to the Charity Commission, the Newark and Notts Agricultural society stand for “The promotion of agriculture and related industries via the Nottinghamshire County , Midlands Machinery and Newark Vintage Tractor Shows.”

But Tim Bonner, Chief Executive of the Countryside Alliance, said the events have a 'much darker side to it'.

“It is totally baffling for an event, which actively encourages behaviour that terrorises our hard working farmers, to be held on land which meant to promote farming and best practice.

“The vegan camp-out is as much about destroying other people’s way of life as it is about celebrating the vegan lifestyle,” Mr Bonner said.

It comes as a vegan activist was convicted two weeks ago of harassing a sheep farmer and his family in Dorset.

So severe were the threats he received, that he was forced to check under his tractor for bombs.

The Countryside Alliance said such incidents are a reminder for the industry that some activists take part in 'so-called direct action'.