Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-002606/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Sander Smit (PPE)
Violent animal rights activism against livestock farmers and food companies is on the rise in the Netherlands and in Europe more generally, resulting in intimidation, violent occupations and arson. Recently, a large-scale suspected arson took place in Blokker, where nine trucks were deliberately set on fire. Shortly afterwards, somebody entered the yard of a Dutch MP and property was defaced. Similar incidents include the violent home invasion and intimidating break-in at the farm of the prospective German agriculture minister Günther Felßner (2025), the arson attack at a duck slaughterhouse in Ermelo (2023) and the violent occupation of a pigsty in Boxtel (2019). These attacks cause significant material and psychological damage to farming families. Despite alarming signals from the Dutch Platform Veilig Ondernemen (PVO) about an increase in intimidation targeting farmers and perpetrated by animal rights extremists, official EU registration of these incidents is conspicuous by its absence.
- 1.Does the European Commission recognise the seriousness of animal rights extremism and, given the use of violence and intimidation to achieve political goals, does it classify these actions as terrorist attacks?
- 2.What concrete measures is the European Commission taking to detect and tackle networks of animal rights extremists operating across borders within the Union?
- 3.Is the Commission prepared, in cooperation with Europol and the Member States, to map the threat of extremist animal rights activism, including by setting up an EU hotline?
Supporter[1]
Submitted: 27.6.2025
- [1] This question is supported by a Member other than the author: Jessika Van Leeuwen (PPE)