Animal rights activists have scaled the roof of a national beef industry event in protest against the meat industry. The demonstration, which began in the early hours of Saturday, is said to have resulted in one protester being taken to hospital after chaos unfolded outside Darlington Farmers Auction Mart (DFAM) in County Durham. Photos showed masked activists from the Animal Justice Project (AJP) standing on the roof of the building holding banners and spraying coloured smoke flares. A spokesperson for the group said campaigners were left “covered in excrement” after one event attender allegedly used a sprayer to blast manure at them. The National Beef Association (NBA), which is organising the expo taking place this weekend, describes it as a celebration of the best of British beef, drawing in at least 5,000 guests annually. The AJP said its protest was “peaceful” and “silent” and aimed at highlighting “farmed animal suffering and environmental safety concerns”. Police have been on the scene since 5am working to bring the demonstration to an end. An AJP spokesperson told PA: “We’ve been sprayed with cow poo by one farmer using a machine. “It has been a peaceful protest and a silent protest and we are overwhelmed and outnumbered by hundreds of angry farmers.” A spokesperson for the NBA claimed there was a “wonderful atmosphere” at the event and did not comment further on the protest. Durham police said: “Our officers are working to bring the protest to a safe end and to minimise the impact on the wider community.”