BELGIUM: ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS PROTEST AGAINST THE USE OF VEAL CRATES

Record ID: 639847

  • Title: BELGIUM: ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS PROTEST AGAINST THE USE OF VEAL CRATES
  • Date: 26th February 1996
  • Summary: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (FEBRUARY 26, 1996) (RTV ACCESS ALL) 1. SV EXTERIOR OF COUNCIL BUILDING WITH PROTESTORS 0.05 2. SV OF GAIA MEMBERS WITH COW MASKS 0.20 3. SCU PEOPLE IN "CRATES" 0.44 4. SCU GROUPE D'ACTION DANS L'INTERET DES ANIMAUX (GAIA) SPOKESMAN MICHEL VANDENBOSCH SPEAKING (ENGLISH) 1.38 5. CU CALF MASKS 1.48 6. CU SIGN SAYING BAN VEAL CRATES (ENGLISH) 1.52 7. CU MODEL COW 2.05 SEQUENCE 4 TRANSCRIPT: VANDENBOSCH: "WE WANT THE MINISTERS TO ACCEPT A TOTAL BAN ON THE VEAL, ERODE THE WHOLE SYSTEM IN THE EU (EUROPEAN UNION). THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE CURRENT SYSTEM IS A VERY CRUEL SYSTEM." Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 12th March 1996 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
  • City:
  • Country: Belgium
  • Reuters ID: LVAEUM7Z9DNZ811DQ6A6RE0MQUT0
  • Story Text: Animal rights activists gathered in front of the European Council building on Monday (February 26) to demand an immediate end to the use of veal crates.

    The issue will be raised at a meeting of European Union (EU) agriculture ministers later on Monday, although a final decision is not expected.

    Activists from GAIA -- Groupe d'Action dans l'Interet des Animaux -- donned masks and locked themselves into crates in front of the building.

    GAIA spokesman Michel Vandenbosch said his group wanted the EU ministers to accept a total ban on veal. He said there was no doubt the current system was very cruel.

    The European Commission wants a gradual ban on the use of veal crates, which a December EU report blamed for causing stress and health problems to young calves. Calves confined in the crates are normally fed on a milky diet to create the white meat preferred by many consumers.

    Animal welfare groups, who clashed with police in Britain and elsewhere a year ago, have launched a fresh campaign to ban veal crates and force farmers to feed calves a balanced diet.

    The Commission's proposals would ban new or renovated crates for calves over eight weeks old from 1998 and phase out all crates from 2008.


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