Security has been upgraded at a meeting of thousands of surgeons after animal activists protesting against the use of pigs and sheep in surgical training snuck into the event.
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On Monday night, two animal liberationists disrupted a welcome ceremony at the prestigious Royal Australasian College of Surgeons' annual scientific congress in Brisbane by taking to the stage to voice their message.
Fairfax Media understands that during proceedings, two protesters calmly walked on to the stage and took hold of a microphone to tell delegates about their campaign to stop the use of live animals in trauma surgery training courses run by the college.
According to witnesses, President of the College Professor David Watters quickly realised the pair were not meant to be there and took the microphone from them.
They were swiftly escorted out of the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre where the event was being held.
PETA protesters at the College of Surgeons conference in Brisbane. Photo: Supplied.
A spokesman for the college said the venue had increased security in response to the protest.
The guerilla protest on Monday night occurred ahead of a separate PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) demonstration outside the venue at noon today.
A spokeswoman for PETA, Claire Fryer, said they were there to educate surgeons about mannequins that can be used to simulate human patients in surgical training instead of animals.
When asked about the protest on Monday night, Ms Fryer would not comment on whether the pair were PETA members.
However, she said the two people were trying to peacefully and "politely" make attendees aware of offers by PETA to pay for human simulators so the college can stop using animals.
Ms Fryer said while some Australian institutions that host surgical training courses were interested in their offer, the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons had not agreed to accept the simulators.
Last month, Fairfax Media reported the college was using hundreds of animals (pigs and sheep) in some of its surgical courses - a practice some surgeons do not agree with.
The report triggered debate about whether mannequin simulators offer sufficient training for surgeons learning how to save people's lives in emergency situations.
Professor Watters has indicated the college will replace animals with simulators when they latter are deemed good enough to justify the shift.
More than 90,000 people have signed a PETA petition asking the college to stop using live animals.
Julia Medew travelled to the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons annual scientific congress courtesy of the college.
