Agractie wins summary proceedings against anti-dairy campaign

The action group Dier&Recht must stop their campaign against the dairy sector. The judge ruled this on Monday (August 23) in summary proceedings brought by Agractie. The judge ruled that the campaign harms the Dutch dairy sector and thereby violates freedom of expression. However, Dier&Recht declares that it will continue with the campaign.

Bart Kemp, chairman of Agractie, said in a short video that he was very relieved about the verdict. "We won. Finally recognition for the fact that anti-animal farming clubs can't just say everything. We are very happy." 

Dier&Recht must remove as soon as possible all expressions of the anti-dairy campaign, such as on websites and campaign posters in various places in 7 cities in the country. Everything must be cleaned up within 48 hours on pain of a penalty of €5.000 per day with a maximum of €50.000. At least, that's how the judge's ruling seemed to be interpreted broadly.
 

However, Dier&Recht says in a statement that the anti-dairy campaign will not be stopped at all, but will be extended. According to the action group, the statement only concerns the poster in which a calf is carried away in a wheelbarrow. It has been banned by the court. "Only the expression disputed by Agractie will be removed. The 2 other posters, as well as the website and the animation remain visible," Dier&Recht reports in a statement, which is full of accusations against the dairy sector. The action group also states that it is considering an appeal.

The defense of Dier&Recht was that they base themselves on facts and that the practices in the dairy sector are questioned and that the farmers are not attacked. The judge did not agree. The judge also ruled that the action group had insufficiently substantiated the movements expressed in the campaign.

Agractie hopes that the ruling will also set a precedent for subsequent campaigns by action groups or organizations that oppose animal farming in the Netherlands. "We can no longer be portrayed with impunity as serious animal abusers," the organization said in a letter accompanying the video.

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