FDF: 'Legal system fails against stable terror'

Farmers Defense Force (FDF) is extremely disappointed in the judge's verdict against animal activists who occupied a pig farm in Boxtel last spring. According to chairman Mark van den Oever, farmers feel 'again left out in the cold by the legal system'.

The 67 animal activists got away from the East Brabant court on Wednesday with a fine of 300 euros each and a suspended prison sentence of 2 weeks. This does absolutely no justice to the 10-hour stable occupation, which, according to Van den Oever, has had a major impact on the farming family, the employee in question and the entire Dutch agricultural population.

"This ruling has no deterrent effect on the mob that farmers have been dealing with for years: terrorist perpetrators who carry out their terror organized without any legal framework. The farms they invade comply with the laws and standards on which we keep animals in the Netherlands." he writes in a statement.

Treatment of belching shocking
He also finds the treatment of farmers in relation to animal activists who 'perpetrate terror on farms' offensive. He refers to a Groninger farmer who has been detained for three days† "In contrast to the violent perpetrators of Boxtel, who were allowed to return home almost immediately after their committed misdeeds."

Farmers Defense Force also criticized the political representatives who announced after the barn occupation that the law would be amended to prevent this type of action. "Not a single step has been taken in that direction yet," notes Van den Oever bitterly. 

No 112 for farmers
For FDF, the ruling is proof that the organization is desperately needed. "We will work with the farmers in the Netherlands to ensure that no colleague has to feel abandoned by the worthless legal system we are dealing with," said Van den Oever. "If 112 is no longer an emergency number for Dutch farmers, farmers themselves will have to act in unison. That is a sad observation after the violation - this time by our Dutch legal system - of farmers' rights."

© DCA Market Intelligence. This market information is subject to copyright. It is not permitted to reproduce, distribute, disseminate or make the content available to third parties for compensation, in any form, without the express written permission of DCA Market Intelligence.