9 protesters arrested after chaining themselves to Kroger headquarters due in court

Nine people accused of chaining themselves to Kroger's headquarters in downtown Cincinnati will make their first appearance in court on Thursday.

Arrest and charges

The same activist group, Animal Equality, has been protesting for months, with the noise from those demonstrations even prompting a response from city council.

But what happened Wednesday morning ended differently. People were carried into custody after firefighters cut them from chains that they had attached to the building.

None of the mare from Cincinnati. The group is protesting Kroger's treatment of caged chickens.

"Kroger used animal welfare to side with consumers who want better treatment for farmed animals, then backtracked once they gained that support," Clair Roberson, Animal Equality Spokesperson, told .

Kroger shared a statement regarding the protest and arrests: "Kroger respects the right to peaceful protest and for people to make their voices heard.

Charges and court proceedings

No one was hurt, with police calling the protest peaceful. The nine people due in court Thursday all face charges of criminal trespassing and resisting arrest.

It happened as part of a protest that led police to shut down the area for several hours.