“Djuraktivister all the more menacing against the farmers”
“Vandalism, telefonterror, and death threats. The hatred and threats from animal rights activists affects an increasing number of farmers. Most vulnerable are the farmers in the west of Sweden where the police have now intensified their efforts against crime as it is believed to be organised by a small circle previously convicted persons.”
“the Police in Skaraborg has in the past been quite successful in the fight against djurrättsaktivism released in a criminal act,” explains the chief of police Mats Bergström. Cooperation with the then rikskriminalpolisen resulted in a few individuals sentenced to prison terms.”
“– But then these people came out so it has been running badly again. And I guess it’s a clutch, ” he continues.”
“Lantbrukarnas riksförbund (LRF) confirms the picture. If it a few years ago was the most environmental damage that affected so now is also the meat and dairy farmers and egg producers hard-pressed.”
“It notes that the hidden statistics are large, then their surveys show that only half of farmers reporting crimes.”
“According to a review of Göteborgs-Posten there is, however, of over 200. in the last three years, in the form of, inter alia, brandattentat, invasion of homes, vandalism, telefonterror, abuse and serious death threats – in many cases targeted against children.”
“In one of the cases describes how an eight year old girl arrives on his first day of school after the christmas break, and are greeted by balloons across the schoolyard where someone posted that her dad is a murderer. At the same time as the girl’s parents and relatives received messages, with descriptions of how family members and children should be killed.”
“– Many have not really understood how serious this is and what situation it means for farmers, ” says Palle Borgström, president of the FEDERATION of Swedish farmers who, in may of last year submitted a list of proposed actions to the minister of justice Morgan Johansson (S).”
“Among other things, considers the farmers’ union that the laws need to be redefined, for example, so that the illegal entry also includes the yards, and that the police should get more resources.”
“– Changes are afoot within the police, so where has it happened quite a lot, even if you are allowed to have a little patience and see if it really receives the effect, ” says Borgström.”
“– But on some of the points we’ve not seen any major difference so far.”
“Mats Bergström in Skaraborg says that the intensification of the operational work, but there are several challenges.”
“When it comes to serious crimes so the police have relatively great opportunities – but when it comes to a series of less serious offences such as harassment, vandalism, and trespassing so the police does not have access to the stronger constraint.”
“Now, hold on to examine whether, in certain cases, there is the opportunity to collect the series of less serious crimes during the brottrubriceringen illegal persecution, but then you have to find a link between all the cases.”
“And to search the parts in our filings, we have little difficulty,” says Bergström.”
“so far, there is no brottskod for criminal djurrättsaktivism, but it is possible that it would be needed in order to get it together, think Bergström.”
“He does not want to go so far as to say that there are shortcomings in the legislation, but think it would be interesting with a legal trial about the balance between hemfriden, and unlawful infringement versus freedom of expression and the right of public access.”
“– Many times we end up in situations where public opinion is very close to a property boundary. It can be perceived as a very unpleasant situation, but usually we have not the right to displace the people who are demonstrating near a property.”
“According to Göteborgs-Posten’s review, it is a small militant faction from the west of Sweden that organise the action.”
“When the magazine confronts one of the leaders, he says that they are not dealing with threatening phone calls and letters, but that they prefer to confront”
“– The only ones I feel sympathy for are their children who have to grow up with role models who advocate and exercise of mass murder, ” he says.”
“Despite the escalation has the secret Police a few years ago, closed down its mapping of the individuals, says the GP. The reason is a letter from the Justice department, which points to ”the animal rights movement does not target its breach of any of the basic democratic functions”.”
“the Laws need to be clarified so that the activities that take place out on the farms with the purpose to harass individual traders and their activities can more easily be stopped.”
“It must be clear to all that the police can stop the activists who break into farms.”
“the Police and other authorities must find ways to reverse trends where the militant activists alone or in a group, expect to be able to threaten our members and their families without risking to be punished.”
“the Police must work collected at the national level and have enough resources for this.”
