Thirteen members of the protest organisation Animal Rising were fined £56,875 ($72,345 in current money) and suspended criminal sentences after causing £100,000 ($127,200) worth of damage. $) at an Arla Foods distribution in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom.
The defendants were sentenced to a total of 1,550 hours of net service and 168 months of suspended prison.
The court heard that activists used drills to drill holes in truck tires and bolt cutters for air valves (more on that here).
Inspector Donna Norris of Hertfordshire Police’s Public Order Crimes Team and senior investigating officer, said the sentences were the “culmination of almost two years of work on what has been a complicated and complex investigation”.
“These thirteen defendants showed up at a dairy distribution center and caused tens of thousands of pounds of damage,” Norris said. “They were protesting climate change and animal welfare and whatever your opinion on the issue, that doesn’t mean you can take the law into your own hands and damage other people’s property.
“This is a pre-planned incident, much of which was recorded on camera and posted on social media. I hope those rulings reassure the public that we will seriously address issues like those and that violators will be brought to justice.
“The protection and welfare of our colleagues will be our number one priority and we therefore welcome the decisions of St Albans Crown Court, which aim to protect our colleagues, our farm owners and our business from any action in the future.
In an article on X, Animal Rising said the sentencing burden “could hardly be more excessive. “”We can obviously see non-violent and valid protesters facing longer criminal sentences and more excessive monetary consequences across the United Kingdom.
“Over the past week, it has become clear that the new government’s difficult new protest legislation is not compatible with its objectives and only has an effect on those campaigning for peace and a safer future. »