Animal rights protests present a balancing act for police

Law enforcement officers are often called to the scene when animal rights activists hold protests on private property.

Roy Graber Headshot
(sswartz | Bigstock)
(sswartz | Bigstock)

Law enforcement officers are often called to the scene when animal rights activists hold protests on private property.

The activists tend to defend their actions, citing their right to free speech. At the same time, owners and operators of farms and agrifood businesses often say the protesters don’t have a right to be there.

It is often a balancing act for authorities, James Naugle, assistant sheriff of Sonoma County, California, told attendees of the Animal Agriculture Alliance 2021 Virtual Stakeholders Summit on May 6.

Naugle said law enforcement officers must remain impartial when dealing with opposing sides. They must balance the rights of people to express themselves through free speech with the rights of property owners. However, Naugle said it is pretty easy to tell when somebody goes from exercising their First Amendment rights to actually violating the law.

“It’s when they enter your property, disrupt your business or take your stuff,” said Naugle. “And we have had all of those things happen over the last few years up here.”

And Naugle pointed out that in Sonoma County, the sheriff’s office has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to criminal activity at animal rights protests.

“If you are arrested at a protest for violating the law, you’re going to get booked, and if there are felonies that we can book you on, we will book you on them,” he said.

How to help law enforcement

While it might seem instinctual to defend your property against protesters, Naugle advises against that.

“Try not to become part of the problem. Try not to get involved with the protesters themselves,” he said.

The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office has had to deal with confrontations that included shouting matches and even fistfights. Once the situation escalates into violence, it is difficult for officers to differentiate victims from people who are in the wrong.

He also advises that farms or agrifood businesses have as much information available as possible regarding who is responsible and what the rules of the property are. It is also advised that the person presenting that information “has the standing or authority to say this person does not have the right to be on this property.”

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