“Genetically manipulated chicken”
: to prohibit L214 from affixing this notice to trays of Le Gaulois poultry in stores, the agri-food group LDC summoned the animal rights association for interim relief this Tuesday, February 20.
LDC, which markets the Le Gaulois and Maître Coq brands, complains of being the victim of a campaign of
“denigration”
and
“disinformation”
on the part of L214.
Denouncing the conditions of breeding of so-called broiler chickens, activists from the animal defense association carried out actions in 25 points of sale, where they applied these stickers to trays of poultry.
Arguing that this campaign causes
“manifestly unlawful disturbance”
and imminent harm to the group, LDC filed an hour-to-hour summary action (emergency procedure), asking the judge to take rapid measures to make it cease.
“We have passed a stage”
This legal action against L214
“is a first on the part of LDC which has been extraordinarily patient but here, we have gone beyond a stage”
, justified LDC lawyer, Antoine de Brosses, during a hearing at the Strasbourg judicial court.
“Unless you agree to take the law into your own hands, you have no right to harm our products
,” insisted Me Antoine de Brosses.
L214, which made itself known by broadcasting shocking images filmed in secret on farms or slaughterhouses, was created in 2008 and today has around a hundred employees.
L214's lawyer, Me Caroline Lanty, argued that
“since the association existed, we have learned things that we did not know”
.
The aim of the campaign targeting Le Gaulois is to put an end to
“poor breeding practices” , in particular the use of
“ultra-fast growing”
strains of chickens
, she said.
“LDC uses the Ross 308 strain for its broiler chickens
,” in order to have a
“chicken that grows faster, that produces ever more meat in an ever shorter time
,” she said.
If it adopted a
“protest tone”
, the association
“remained within the limits of freedom of expression”
, and did not make
“any offensive or excessive remarks”
, argued Me Caroline Lanty.
She described a
“fairly good-natured operation” , relying on
“repositionable”
stickers
which
“do not alter the product”
and
“do not prevent marketing”
.
The summary judge will deliver his decision on Thursday at 2 p.m.