A Sonoma County judge has issued a preliminary injunction against the animal rights group, Direct Action Everywhere, also known as DxE.
According to the Press Democrat, the ruling, issued on Friday, limits the group’s protests at the private residence of a Petaluma Poultry executive. The judge’s order prohibits DxE from demonstrating within 200 feet of the Sebastopol home of live production manager, Scott Fitzpatrick, and also bans the use of amplified sound. For weeks, activists had been protesting outside his home, accusing the company of animal cruelty.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Petaluma Poultry said the decision protects their employee from harassment and called the group’s tactics “dangerous” and “out of step with the values of our community.”
DxE, however, called the injunction a blow to their free speech rights and said they will continue to protest. The injunction will remain in effect while a lawsuit against the group proceeds.
