Ultimatum expired Fribourg police take away dozens of occupiers of a slaughterhouse

The Fribourg cantonal police evacuated the occupied building of Migros subsidiary Micarna in Courtepin on Monday. Around 70 activists were taken away. According to the police, the eviction was calm.

Members of the "269 Libération animale" collective had climbed onto the roof of the poultry slaughterhouse in the early morning. According to one activist, other members of the movement chained themselves to machines inside the premises.

They accused Migros of promoting "a deadly system in which animals are seen as commodities". The company did not comment on the content of the accusations and filed a criminal complaint against the squatters.

Around 70 squatters on site

At midday, the squatters let an ultimatum to leave voluntarily pass. The police then began to clear the building. Based on the criminal complaint, they also took the activists' personal details. In total, around 70 squatters were on site, as the cantonal police reported in the evening.

According to a communiqué issued by the animal rights movement, around 35 million chickens are slaughtered at the Courtepin abattoir every year. Migros values profits more than the lives of animals and respect for employees. Factory farming is also harmful to the environment.

Founded in France in 2016, the anti-speciesist movement says it has already occupied 26 slaughterhouses in Europe and "liberated" more than 3,800 animals.