Livestock haulier continues battle
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In The latest battle of the livestock war ended with both sides claiming victory after the High Court refused to ban 13 Brightlingsea demonstrators but did place an injunction upon a fourteenth.
Roger Mills and his company, Live Sheep Traders Ireland), argued that protesters were interfering with lawful trade and should be prevented from doing so. Counsel for 13 of the demonstrators retorted that injunctions would be an "assault on the fundamental right to protest".
The fourteenth demonstrator, Andrew Abbot, was banned after he argued that "non-violent direct action is an essential part of democracy".
Mr Justice Forbes said Abbot appeared to be "offering a gesture of defiance to the court" and "could not expect to be pat ted on the back". Mills says he is "well satisfied" with the result of the case.' We might have lost a piece of paper, but we got a result," he adds. "We brought these people to court and got one injunction -the rest of them will have to realise they could be next."
He plans to continue his fight against animal right protesters: "This is by no means the end," Mills says.