Court judgment: Animal rights activist sentenced to the Schlachthof campaign!

Court judgment: Animal rights activist sentenced to the Schlachthof campaign!

In a controversial judgment, the district court of Oldenburg condemned two animal rights activists for trespassing. The activists, Anna Schubert and Hendrik Hassel, had secretly penetrated into a slaughterhouse in Lohne (Vechta district) in the spring of 2024 and had recorded videos from the controversial CO₂ anesthesia of pigs. The recordings were then made available to the animal welfare organization Animal Rights Watch and also received attention in the media such as ARD and NDR. The slaughterhouse operator then claimed 98,000 euros in damages and a ban on the distribution of the material. The court was largely right for the operator, but the activists announced that they wanted to make an appeal because they are limited in their freedom of expression. According to [NDR] (https://www.ndr.de/niederrichten/niedersachsen/oldenburg_ostfriesland/videos-aus-schlachhof-in-animal- animal-right-watch-criticized-judicizing, the activists can no longer bear the slaughterhouse and must now bear the legal costs.

The procedure deals with a practice that is widespread in the meat industry: CO₂ anesthesia. This method is legally permitted, but causes heated debates. Proponents argue that it is economically necessary and is carried out under conditions that meet the Animal Welfare Act. Critics, on the other hand, see CO₂ anesthesia as cruelty to animals. Schubert had positioned himself on a CO₂ detention system to document the processes. The slaughterhouse operator, Niko Brand, is satisfied with the court ruling and defends the method as an animal protection compliant. According to the Süddeutscher Zeitung, the accusation of manipulation of the video material was rejected and the importance of public documentation was emphasized.

The CO₂ ancestral: a double-edged sword

The main focus of the current discussion is on CO₂ anesthesia, which is used in Germany for around 80% of the slaughtered pigs. The method in which animals are brought to an environment enriched with CO₂ ensures a short -term loss of consciousness. However, many people find the defense reactions of the animals problematic that can occur when they are driven into the anesthetic system. Above all, the duration of these reactions is controversial and strongly influences the stress level of the animals. According to VDF, the CO₂ anesthesia is regarded as an animal welfare method, however, research is required to improve the procedures.

In the meantime, the discussion about animal welfare and the legal framework remains exciting. The activists have already announced that they want to continue to make the pictures public, and the public prosecutor has applied for criminal orders for aid for the trespass. The case could still have far -reaching consequences. The judgment clearly shows how complicated the area of tension between economic interests in the meat industry and animal welfare is - a topic that will move many people and will continue to cause excitement in the future.