Together against the German Meat Congress

Call for protests from November 25 to 26 in Mainz

At the German Meat Congress 2024 in Mainz at the end of November, the German meat industry will come together to talk about its “existential challenges” and otherwise pat each other on the back.

Of course, the Tönnies Group is not to be missed and sends Maximilian Tönnies to the podium to talk about everything but the meat company’s exploitation regime. Dialogue with the public is not desired, and with a regular admission price of €1,650, the corporate elites are likely to keep to themselves.

However, an alliance of climate justice, environmental and animal rights groups will ensure that the event does not run as smoothly as planned. Protest actions have already been announced in front of the Rheingoldhalle and in Mainz city center. The protests will kick off with a panel discussion on November 25 about the future of the meat industry.

Current information, dates of protest actions and more can be found at the Kolibri-Kollektiv:
https://kolibri-kollektiv.net/fleischkongress

Get together in Leipzig on November 22

Are you campaigning against the animal industry or want to become active? Perhaps you would like to find out what the animal industry has to do with your activism? Or just want to network with other activists from the region?

At our get together, we would like to give you the opportunity to do so and provide insight into our intersectional activism and our current actions against the meat giant Tönnies.

On Friday, November 22nd, we invite you to the West of Leipzig at 7 pm. We look forward to meeting you, whether you are already active against the animal industry, want to become active or just want to drop by! There will be vegan food and drinks.

When? Friday, 22.11. – 7 pm
Where? Exact location on request.

Please contact us at mail[at]gemeinsam-gegen-die-tierindustrie[dot]org. This will also help us to estimate how many people will come.

We look forward to seeing you!

Blockade of future Tönnies site in Memmingen

The power of Tönnies must not be allowed to grow! That’s why on November 8 we blocked the access roads to a leather factory that Tönnies wants to take over from the Vion meat group for several hours.

The Tönnies system must finally end! Instead, the group wants to expand its market power by taking over several Vion sites: further slaughterhouses, but also cutting plants and the leather factory in Memmingen – Tönnies just can’t get enough.

Together with 20 activists, we held sit-in blockades in front of the gates of the leather factory and demonstrated loudly. Several people chained themselves together and the blockades were only broken up by the police after 5 hours.

We demand an agricultural system and textile production beyond animal production and capitalism without environmental pollution and exploitation of humans and animals!

Press reports:

Allgäuer Zeitung: https://www.allgaeuer-zeitung.de/arid-812290
TAG24: https://www.tag24.de/3332971
NTV: https://www.n-tv.de/25347290.html (DPA-Meldung, Ähnliche Berichte gibt es bei SZ, FAZ, Stern u.a.)

Background Information about the Take-over of Vion by Tönnies:
https://gemeinsam-gegen-die-tierindustrie.org/tonnies-ubernimmt-vion-standorte

Feed imports: Tönnies & Co continue to be criticized

Huge quantities of soy are still being imported from South America for the German animal feed industry. A study by Deutsche Umwelthilfe and the environmental organizations Mighty Earth and Client Earth once again shows how soy cultivation in Brazil is linked to the destruction of nature, human rights violations and large-scale deforestation. Profiteers include Tönnies, Westfleisch and poultry meat company Rothkötter.

Despite all voluntary commitments, the companies continue to profit from soy cultivation on destroyed areas of the Brazilian wet savannah (Cerrado). However, imports take place along non-transparent trade chains. The study accuses the agricultural trading company Bunge of ignoring the destruction of nature and human rights violations such as the displacement of the local rural population in order to sell the soy to the German animal feed industry.

Tönnies & Co. are therefore partly responsible for neo-colonial exploitation and are also suspected of undermining the German Supply Chain Act. Since the beginning of 2024, companies have been obliged to ensure that human and children’s rights as well as environmental protection requirements are observed in supply chains (including at suppliers).

They, in turn, reject the accusations. In a Tagesspiegel article, Tönnies even accuses Deutsche Umwelthilfe of slander. Bunge and other wholesalers are merely “upstream suppliers for animals delivered to Tönnies”, so there is no need for action.

Further information (german):

Tagesspiegel article: https://archive.is/qZfqu

Study of Deutsche Umwelthilfe: https://www.duh.de/fileadmin/user_upload/download/Projektinformation/Naturschutz/Soja/Soy_Story_Deutsch_Release_2810_komprimiert_f%C3%BCr_web.pdf (PDF, 72 Seiten)

Backgrpund information on neocolonialism and feed imports: https://gemeinsam-gegen-die-tierindustrie.org/uber-neokolonialismus

Together against Tönnies in Kellinghusen (near Hamburg) – Demonstration on June 15

Share-Pic mit Aufschrift Demo am Tönnies-Schlachthof Kellinghusen und wichtigen Daten zur Demo

At the Tönnies slaughterhouse in Kellinghusen, we are taking a stand against Germany’s largest slaughterhouse and leading meat processor: under the motto “Together against Tönnies”, we are showing that we must put an end to the boundless suffering of animals, the exploitation of workers in slaughterhouses, the destruction of the environment, neo-colonial structures and the huge profits that Tönnies makes from all this destruction.

In Kellinghusen (near Hamburg), Tönnies slaughters over 5,000 pigs a day in the Thomsen slaughterhouse – according to its own information, the slaughterhouse has an annual slaughter capacity of up to 1.7 million animals. Animals that are fattened to maximum slaughter weight in the shortest possible time in the fattening facilities of industrial animal husbandry are killed here. This is exactly where we want to be loud!

You can find all the important information on how to get to the demonstration on the demo subpage. Come around!

Open meeting of the regional group Berlin-Brandenburg from Bündnis Gemeinsam gegen die Tierindustrie

Get to know each other, information, exchange, action planning – join us if you want to get involved in the alliance against the animal industry!

We want a different kind of agriculture and a food transition for the climate, animals and justice. We do public relations work, organize demonstrations and actions of civil disobedience. Together we can achieve more – we look forward to seeing you!

When? 25.03. at 6 pm
Where? Thinkfarm (Oberlandstr. 26-35)

Why Tönnies now? Tönnies, Germany’s largest meat company, is an example of a system that exploits people, animals and the environment. We are taking a stand against this injustice and invite everyone to take action with us. Together against Tönnies!

Corona outbreaks, exploitation of workers, animal welfare scandals… these are just some of the buzzwords that are used when talking about Germany’s largest meat company: Tönnies Holding, based in Rheda-Wiedenbrück in North Rhine-Westphalia. The company and above all Managing Director Clemens Tönnies, who owns 45% of the company, are raking in huge profits while people, the environment and animals suffer as a result. We say: this must stop!

Tönnies must pay – compensation instead of profits
Socialization of the Tönnies Group – democratization instead of capitalism
Stop importing animal feed – climate justice instead of capitalism

More information about Tönnies and our demands: https://gemeinsam-gegen-die-tierindustrie.org/en/together-against-toennies/

Out last action: https://gemeinsam-gegen-die-tierindustrie.org/en/elementor-11128/

Kick-off campaign against Tönnies and Germany’s largest slaughterhouse

On February 15, 2024, we launched our wave of protests against Tönnies. Around midday, we gained access to the company premises in Rheda-Wiedenbrück and carried out a series of actions.

Using sirens, helium balloons and banknotes, we caused chaos and noise in the administration building. Banners reading “Socialize Tönnies” and “Stop neocolonialism” were unfurled in the foyer. Meanwhile, activists gained access to the executive floor of the building. This is where “entrepreneurial” decisions are made at the expense of people, animals and the environment. The activists redecorated the conference room and drew attention to the people affected in this room who have no say, even though their “participation” is fundamental to the company’s profits: people from the Global South, animals, workers and the environment.

A banner was left on the company’s soccer pitch and the number “1.5” was written on the grass with spray paint. Tönnies, as Germany’s largest meat company, contributes significantly to the climate crisis and the failure to meet the 1.5° target. Additionally, every year areas the size of 1.5 million soccer pitches are destroyed for the animal feed consumption of the livestock industry.

Another group climbed onto the roof of the huge cold store and attached a large banner over the Tönnies logo, leaving the message “Together against Tönnies”.

In front of the company’s premises, supporters waved banners to express their solidarity with the actions.

Unfortunately, some people, including journalists present, were reported to the police. Several activists were arrested, but all were released by the next morning at the latest.

We see the action as a great success. All local media as well as WDR and tagesschau.de reported on the protests. We would like to thank all the supporters who made this possible.

With our protest we demand :

– Tönnies must pay – compensation instead of profits

– Socialization of the Tönnies Group – democratization instead of capitalism

– Stop importing animal feed – climate justice instead of neocolonialism

For an ecological and solidarity-based agricultural shift – right now!

These actions were just the beginning. From now on it’s Together against Tönnies. Join us!

The camp program is ready!

Our program for the Action Camp is (almost) set! It starts on Friday, 23.9. at 12 o’clock and ends on 27.9. We are looking forward to numerous contributions and an exciting exchange. You can already look forward to these program points (date and times will follow):

  • How to do a small group action? (Zucker im Tank)
  • Ausprobieren von Kommunikationsstrategien und Know how beim Pressesprechen (Mika)
  • Food sovereignty (Wir haben es satt)
  • Semi-open panel with Aktion Agrar
  • Antirepression Workshop (AG Antirepression / GgdT)
  • Small group actions with and without material (Zucker im Tank)
  • Dealing with emotional stress (AG Awareness / GgdT)
  • Why only socialism can save the environment. (Offensiv – Marxistische Organisation)
  • Reading: “Glitter in the Coal Dust – On the Struggle for Climate Justice and Autonomy” (Zucker im Tank)
  • Cross-movement exchange on the agrarian turnaround (Wir haben es satt)
  • Action trainings (GgdT)
  • Workshop & Conversation Training: Dealing with protesting farmers  (AG Agriculture / GgdT)
  • Autonomous communication with the press (Mika)
  • How do we manage to stay political active? (Zucker im Tank)
  • Information event for resistance nomads Self-help group according to radical therapy concept  (Kreativismus)
  • Political work between activism and citizens’ initiative (WiWa_Bleibt)
  • Participation in the alliance Gemeinsam gegen die Tierindustrie (AG Neue & Vernetzung / GgdT)
  • After the action days is before the Eurotier.

In addition, guided camp tours will take place on some days.

Furthermore, there will be the possibility to participate in various plenums inside and actions outside the camp. In addition, we have set up an open space tent, which can be filled spontaneously with program!

Samstag 24.9.

Making the center of the meat and poultry industry the focus of our protest

Fighting for the withdrawal of the meat industry in Oldenburger Land

This summer, we would like to take our united protest to the center of the German meat production industry, Oldenburger Land. Larger and equally determined – especially as the meat industry continues to profit uninterrupted. Through multiply-day activities between 23 and 27 September 2022 we will take a stand against the meat industry: with a large scale initiative and further individual protests, we will be rebellious and creative for a radical change in the agriculture and nutrition systems.

Meat and poultry industry: a system of exploitation and destruction

In the meat industry there is a multitude of problems, among them: land theft and hunger in the Global South, exploitation of the majority of migratory workers, and from economical farmers massive greenhouse gas emissions, environmental destruction, and the oppression and murder of animals. This industry is vulnerable where it feels the most comfortable: in the triangle between Bremen, Oldenburg and Osnabrück. In “Oldenburger Land”, there are rows upon rows of feedlots, slaughterhouses, wurst factories and feed mills. The biggest profiteers of this industry are here: the large meat corporations, above all, PHW (Wiesenhof), Vion, Tönnies und Westfleisch.

Fighting together for a unified agricultural shift

This year, with your support, we are making the large spectrum of social catastrophes, in which the meat corporations and industry are responsible for, transparent. We will expose the interconnected exploitation of humans, animals, and nature. This link is a direct result of capitalistic production. We are attaching ourselves to these fights for emancipation and are arranging many varied, colorful, and dedicated activities and protests.

The protests of the last years have made a difference, but we must prevent the meat industry from using surface-level changes and the mere appearance of adjustments to perpetuate harmful practices, such as removing and cancelling factory contracts, climate change and “animal welfare” protections or supply-chain laws. Instead, we want to make sure that there is no way to get around a complete termination of the meat industry. We will achieve this through comprehensive and extensive systemic change and transformation: a good life for all, even animals, within planetary capacity and particularly by excepting responsibility in the global north.

Call to Action

We are calling all to connect with our initiative in the summer. Come to the planned large scale protest and plan your own in protest in Oldenburger Land. Only together can we manage the withdrawal from the meat production industry. Let us create an example in the fight for an ecological nutrition system and agriculture transformation!

The activities will take place from 23 to 27 September. We will be releasing more detailed information relating to the time, meeting place, and activity formats at a later date. Stay connected and join us in the creation of the activities for the summer. 

Contact and Information

Contact: https://gemeinsam-gegen-die-tierindustrie.org // mail@gemeinsam-gegen-die-tierindustrie.org

Delaying tactics of the authorities – we will not be intimidated!

The authorities in the district of Vechta in Lower Saxony are trying to prevent our protest camp against PHW/Wiesenhof. All areas proposed by us for the planned camp are currently rejected. Thereby our event is protected by the basic right to assemble.

We consider this as an attack on the freedom of assembly – and we will not be stopped! In any case, our camp will take place. You can find current information about the camport here.

We have prepared the camp for months and registered it early. Everything is ready, we have worked out a hygiene concept. The lack of planning security provoked by the authorities in Vechta is unacceptable, not least with regard to infection control!

Therefore: Now more than ever: Mobilize to the camp, sign our appeal, scandalize with us the outrageous tactics of the local authorities and above all: Come to the camp and demonstrate with us for a different agriculture!