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(PHOTOS) Demonstrators demand action against Bradford’s Livestock

DeKalb County

(PHOTOS) Demonstrators demand action against Bradford’s Livestock

K. Young Walker holds a sign during a demonstration at the DeKalb County Government Building in the city of Decatur on Monday, April 4, 2022, calling on CEO Michael Thurmond to take action to shut down a backyard slaughterhouse in a greater Lithonia residential neighborhood. Photo by Dean Hesse.
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This story has been updated.

Decatur, GA — A small but very vocal group of demonstrators with bullhorns, whistles and signs gathered outside the DeKalb County Government Building in downtown Decatur on Monday, April 4.

They called for CEO Michael Thurmond to shut down Bradford’s Livestock, a business that Christopher Eubanks, a community organizer for animal rights initiatives, said is an illegal backyard slaughterhouse located on Rice Road in a residential neighborhood less than a block from Redan Elementary School in greater Lithonia.

It has been operating for over 3 years.

The owner, Bradford Rudolph, told Tucker Observer he has no plans to close his business.

“I don’t know why anyone would want my business shut down when I serve the public,” Rudolph said. “I’m all for running my business and keeping my business, and I don’t intend to shut my business down for nobody.”

A website Eubanks provided, nobackyardslaughter.com, says the county issued a cease-and-desist order to Bradford’s Livestock on March 1, 2019, and a CBS46 Investigates piece by reporter Rachel Polansky embedded on the site says Bradford’s Livestock is licensed through the state’s Department of Agriculture, not DeKalb County.

To read the story, click here.

“We are here today putting pressure on the county to take more steps and do more to ensure that this slaughterhouse closes,” Eubanks said. “This is a business that is bad for the community, it’s bringing property values down, it damages the soil. There is an elementary school right up the street. This case has been going on for years and there’s been no change. This is an election year. It’s a perfect time to let DeKalb County know that if they won’t make change then we will put people in office that will make change.”

Protestors call on CEO Michael Thurmond to take action to shut down a backyard slaughterhouse in a greater Lithonia residential neighborhood during a demonstration at the DeKalb County Government Building in the city of Decatur on Monday, April 4, 2022. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Protestors call on CEO Michael Thurmond to take action to shut down a backyard slaughterhouse in a greater Lithonia residential neighborhood during a demonstration at the DeKalb County Government Building in the city of Decatur on Monday, April 4, 2022. Photo by Dean Hesse.

A protestor holds a sign during a demonstration at the DeKalb County Government Building in the city of Decatur on Monday, April 4, 2022, calling on CEO Michael Thurmond to take action to shut down a backyard slaughterhouse operating less than a block from Redan Elementary School in a greater Lithonia residential neighborhood. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Trey Morrow uses a bullhorn during a demonstration at the DeKalb County Government Building in the city of Decatur on Monday, April 4, 2022, calling on CEO Michael Thurmond to take action to shut down a backyard slaughterhouse in a greater Lithonia residential neighborhood. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Protestors call on CEO Michael Thurmond to take action to shut down a backyard slaughterhouse in a greater Lithonia residential neighborhood during a demonstration at the DeKalb County Government Building in the city of Decatur on Monday, April 4, 2022. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Christopher Eubanks, a community organizer for animal rights initiatives, leads a demonstration at the DeKalb County Government Building in the city of Decatur on Monday, April 4, 2022, calling on CEO Michael Thurmond to take action to shut down a backyard slaughterhouse in a greater Lithonia residential neighborhood. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Chris Reynolds and Trey Morrow take part in a demonstration at the DeKalb County Government Building in the city of Decatur on Monday, April 4, 2022, calling on CEO Michael Thurmond to take action to shut down a backyard slaughterhouse in a greater Lithonia residential neighborhood. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Dana Davis holds a sign during a demonstration at the DeKalb County Government Building in the city of Decatur on Monday, April 4, 2022, calling on CEO Michael Thurmond to take action to shut down a backyard slaughterhouse in a greater Lithonia residential neighborhood. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Christopher Eubanks, a community organizer for animal rights initiatives, uses a bullhorn to lead a call and response during a demonstration at the DeKalb County Government Building in the city of Decatur on Monday, April 4, 2022, calling on CEO Michael Thurmond to take action to shut down a backyard slaughterhouse in a greater Lithonia residential neighborhood. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Protestors point their signs and bullhorns toward the DeKalb County Government Building in the city of Decatur during a demonstration on Monday, April 4, 2022, calling on CEO Michael Thurmond to take action to shut down a backyard slaughterhouse in a greater Lithonia residential neighborhood. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Love Atiya leads a call and response during a demonstration at the DeKalb County Government Building in downtown Decatur on Monday, April 4, 2022, calling on CEO Michael Thurmond to take action to shut down a backyard slaughterhouse in a greater Lithonia residential neighborhood. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Trey Morrow points his bullhorn at the DeKalb County Government Building in the city of Decatur during a demonstration on Monday, April 4, 2022, calling on CEO Michael Thurmond to take action to shut down a backyard slaughterhouse in a greater Lithonia residential neighborhood. Photo by Dean Hesse.

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