Three piglets which were being allowed to starve as part of a controversial art exhibition in Denmark that had drawn international attention have been stolen, the artist said on Wednesday. Chilean-born Marco Evaristti said he had been aiming to raise awareness of the suffering caused by mass meat production with his art installation that opened

Marco Evaristti’s provocative exhibition in Copenhagen was designed to protest Denmark’s pork industry. But then there was a twist — and an act of sabotage.

Three starving piglets were taken from a former butcher’s warehouse, according to the Copenhagen police. The artist said he wanted to wake up society about animal mistreatment.