Thirteen members of the protest group Animal Rising have been fined more than £55,000 and given suspended prison sentences, after causing around £100,000 worth of damage in 20 minutes at an Arla dairy distribution centre in Hertfordshire.
On September 8, 2022, several members of the group, then known as Animal Rebellion, broke into the centre on Mosquito Way, in in Hatfield.
Following an extensive investigation, officers from Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Public Order Crime Team arrested and charged 14 people with conspiracy to cause criminal damage. One of these left the country following the expiration of their visa, and an arrest warrant remains outstanding.
St Albans Crown Court heard how some of those who entered the site used cordless drills to make holes in the tyres of lorries waiting at the yard, and bolt cutters to cut off the air valves in what was described as a ‘planned and deliberate’ incident.
Eight people pleaded guilty to the offences and were sentenced across two hearings on July 31 and August 5, while five people pleaded not guilty to the offences and were convicted by a jury following a three-week trial.
Nine were given suspended prison sentences ranging from 15-24 months and four received community orders, with some required to undertake rehabilitation activity and up to 250 hours of unpaid. All received fines, ranging from £1,400 to £12,500.
Five further suspects were arrested in connection with the incident but failed to answer their bail having fled to the Czech Republic, and their arrest warrants remain outstanding.
Animal Rising has also, on other occasions, targeted the pig sectors, as part of a wider campaign.
Inspector Donna Norris, Hertfordshire Constabulary’s senior investigating officer, said: “These 13 defendants turned up at a dairy distribution centre and caused tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage. They were protesting around climate change and animal welfare and, regardless of your views on the topic, this does not mean you can take the law into your own hands and damage property belonging to others.
“This was a pre-planned incident, with much of it filmed and posted on social media. I hope these sentences will reassure the public that we will deal with matters such as these seriously, and that offenders will be brought to justice.”
Convictions welcomed
An Arla spokesperson said that while the company respected the right to peaceful protest, the protestors had ignored a High Court injunction, Farmers Weekly reported.
They said the activists had ‘intentionally caused significant criminal damage to our property, while putting a number of our colleagues at risk’.
“The safety and wellbeing of our colleagues will always be our number one priority, and so we welcome the decisions of St Albans Crown Court, to protect our colleagues, our farmer owners and our business against any action in the future,” the spokesman added.
Farmers Weekly also reported that Animal Rising has since launched a fundraising appeal to cover the costs of those convicted, describing the fines as ‘excessive’.