A Litigation Article from All-Creatures.org



GUILTY!

FROM Jenny McQueen
Facebook posting, April 14, 2022

I’m disappointed. For the movement, for the animals, for what’s right.... Don’t be deterred by this. Challenging the legal system is only one of the strategies we can employ.

For background information from AnimalJustice, see below.

I’m disappointed. For the movement, for the animals, for what’s right.

The judge took hours to read out his judgement. His 60 page summary will be formally released in a few days.

The language he used in the court was encouraging at first. He dismissed ALL the accusations from the pig farmer, agreeing we were there for the benefit of the pigs, not to harm them. He also described our footage as poignant, disturbing and impactful.

He acknowledged that we were animal rights activists that wanted to influence legislative change such as a bill of rights for animals.

The judge just couldn’t get past the technicality of the law, and said we definitely did interfere with the business, thus guilty of mischief.

He also said we disobeyed the police officers’ formal request for us to leave, so he found us guilty of obstruction, however he agreed that we didn’t impede them, even though we didn’t help them in any way.

The next date that the judge and the lawyers get together to discuss sentencing is May 6. We don’t need to attend for that. Soon after we will be sentenced.

The lawyers didn’t discuss an appeal with us afterwards, instead they were fairly positive no jail time.

What impact will this have on the trials happening for animals, now and proposed? We’re not sure, but I confess I’m not feeling good about the situation.

Follow the #Excelsior4 for progress on their trial in BC, which is a very similar case.

Follow the #MeatTheVictimsCanada actions at Hybrid Turkey “Farm” where I was also just arrested for break and enter, and conspiracy.

I had hoped that Malcolm’s #MinkTrial would have set the precedent for this, that the Break & Enter wasn’t associated with any intent to harm the business. Our judge disagreed.

Massive thanks to all who’ve supported us from near and far. Your words of support are so very appreciated.

Keep up the fight for animals. Don’t be deterred by this. Challenging the legal system is only one of the strategies we can employ.

 

Background:

11 Canadian animal activists were found guilty last week of break and enter and obstruction after their trial in Quebec, and 5 of them will be joining us for this Thursday's AJA Lunchtime Live for a Q&A.

If you don't know the story... In December 2019, a variety of animal advocates (including AJAer Jenny McQueen), dressed in biosecurity suits, entered Porgreg pig farm in St. Hyacinthe, Québec on December 7th, 2019, documented what they saw, sat in front of caged mother pigs, and non-violently refusing to leave when media was denied access to film inside the farm.

What they found recorded at that farm was beyond horrible... 3500 pigs (mostly mothers) confined in cages the size of their own bodies -- living in darkness on concrete in their own filth and the unbearable stench of ammonia. There were pigs suffering from uterine prolapses, pigs living and eating in their own feces, and dead and rotting corpses.

April 21: Porgreg12/PigTrial4 members Anne Shaunessy, Natalie Bartosek, Jenny Donovan, Anne Val, and Jenny McQueen will share what motivated each of them to face arrest in order to do this action, stories from the trial, details of the judge's verdict, and where they go from here.

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