Animal protection drama in Lower Saxony: activists convicted and have to pay!

Animal protection drama in Lower Saxony: activists convicted and have to pay!

An explosive decision by the Oldenburg regional court caused a stir in the animal protection scene: two animal rights activists were convicted because they secretly filmed videos in a slaughterhouse. The ruling, handed down on July 16, 2025, obliges the activists to pay damages and provides for strict injunctive relief. The two animal rights activists who gained access to the slaughterhouse in spring 2024 wanted to document the controversial CO2 stunning of pigs. The secretly recorded videos show the animals being herded into a gondola and anesthetized with highly concentrated carbon dioxide. These recordings were eventually released, which has now led to the legal problems affecting the two activists. NDR, among others, reported on the issue, summarizing the details of the judgment and highlighting the reactions of the parties concerned.

The court found that the agricultural scientist Anna Schubert was responsible for publishing the material, while the photographer Hendrik Haßel could not be proven to be specifically responsible. Schubert and Haßel were represented by the Berlin law firm KM8, while the slaughterhouse operator could count on support from the Hamburg office GvW Graf von Westphalen. The operator of the slaughterhouse is demanding a total of 98,000 euros in damages. The court also issued a ban prohibiting the activists from entering the slaughterhouse premises without permission and from further distributing the illegal recordings. These decisions were made after the court balanced the defendant's interest in information with the rights of the slaughterhouse operator.

Controversial practices in pig farming

The CO2 stunning of animals has been a controversial topic for years. The European Food Authority (EFSA) found in 2004 that animals can suffer from this method. However, in Germany it is estimated that around 80 percent of pigs are stunned in this way. While the slaughterhouse operator refers to an EU regulation that allows this method, the lawyer Barbara Felde criticizes this approach and advocates the use of electric tongs as an animal welfare-friendly alternative. This discourse about the methods in the slaughter industry shows that there is a significant need for discussion in society.

The convicted animal rights activists have already announced that they will appeal the verdict. It remains exciting to see how these legal disputes will develop and what consequences this could have for animal protection in Germany. Local media such as NDR keep the public informed about the latest developments.

In addition to this ruling, there are efforts in Lower Saxony to reorganize the summer holidays, which could relieve the burden on the Braunschweig Clinic. The “Champion Days” also take place on Langeoog, a sporting event that makes Olympic disciplines accessible to everyone. Topics like these make it clear that Lower Saxony has more to offer than just the legal controversies surrounding animal protection.

For further information on the verdict and the background, read the reports from NDR, Mirror and LTO.