A lawsuit was filed on October 29, 2009 in Federal District Court on behalf of the animal rights organization Salt Lake Animal Advocacy Movement (SLAAM) and two of its members, Colleen Hatfield and Jeremy Beckham. The lawsuit was filed through counsel Brian Barnard and alleges that Morgan County enacted laws and regulations that infringe on the constitutional rights of members of SLAAM.

SLAAM intends to hold a protest on November 28, 2009 in Morgan County outside fur farms. The county has enacted ordinances specifically intended to curb the rights of SLAAM to protest on November 28. SLAAM has established a website at FurFreeUtah.com outlining plans for the protest. The full complaints against Morgan County and UDOT can also be found on this website.

“Free speech is quickly becoming fee speech,” said Colleen Hatfield, SLAAM director. “First UDOT wants a $1,000,000 liability insurance policy and now Morgan County wants us to pay for their police officers’ time. If we were to let these policy decisions stand, only the rich would have the right to get their message heard in America.” Morgan County Chief Deputy Kevin Edwards indicated to SLAAM that the charge would be $40 per hour per officer. In addition, the lawsuit alleges that Morgan County may not constitutionally prohibit protesters from picketing within 1,000 feet of a fur farm, even if a residence is found on the farm.

With fifteen operating fur farms, Morgan County has more fur farms than any other county in the U.S. Fur farms have long been the target of animal rights organizations due to their controversial animal husbandry practices and killing methods. Animals on fur farms are killed by anal electrocution or suffocation to keep the coat intact. Last year, members of the underground Animal Liberation Front (ALF) released thousands of mink from fur farms in Kaysville and South Jordan.

“SLAAM wants to shed light on the unspeakable and unnecessary animal suffering that is typical on American mink farms,” said Jeremy Beckham, SLAAM member. “The mink farmers want to keep their cruelty hidden from public view – we intend to shed light on it this November 28th.”

Press Release (pdf)
Complaint filed on October 29, 2009
Exhibits to complaint

Poster 1
Poster 2

http://www.furfreeutah.com/udotcomplaint.pdf

Lawsuit claims that UDOT’s policy requiring a $1,000,000 liability insurance policy to protest fur farms in Morgan infringes on free speech rights

For Immediate Release
October 22, 2009

A lawsuit was filed on October 21st in Federal District Court on behalf of the animal rights organization Salt Lake Animal Advocacy Movement (SLAAM) and two of its members, Colleen Hatfield and Jeremy Beckham. The lawsuit alleges that the Utah Department Of Transportation (UDOT) has infringed on SLAAM’s right to peaceably assemble by requiring a $1,000,000 liability insurance policy to protest on any state highway. UDOT has told SLAAM director Colleen Hatfield that she and other members of SLAAM will be arrested for trespassing if they do not acquire the policy prior to protesting on a state-maintained highway.

“Free speech is supposed to be free,” said Colleen Hatfield. “When UDOT or any other government agency fixes a price tag on the right to assemble in a public forum, they inevitably exclude voices from the marketplace of ideas and deny people rights guaranteed them in the Constitution.” SLAAM intends to protest outside fur farms and march on State Street in Morgan, Utah on November 28, 2009. State Street is the state maintained Utah Highway 66.

With fifteen operating fur farms, Morgan County has more fur farms than any other county in the U.S. Fur farms have long been the target of animal rights organizations due to their controversial animal husbandry practices and killing methods. Mink on fur farms are housed individually in cages not much larger than a shoebox. During pelting season, farmers must kill the animals without spoiling the coat. This means the animals are killed by anal electrocution or suffocation. SLAAM has established a website at FurFreeUtah.com outlining plans for the protest.

Last year, members of the underground organization Animal Liberation Front (ALF) released thousands of mink from a Kaysville fur farm and hundreds were released from a farm in South Jordan. Although many of the mink were recaptured, many mink that are descendants from the liberation have been spotted recently in Kaysville.

“SLAAM wants to shed light on the unspeakable and unnecessary animal suffering that is so commonplace on mink farms,” said Jeremy Beckham, SLAAM member. “We will defend our rights to speak out on behalf of abused animals in Morgan even if that means we have to take the fight to the courtroom.”

ffuflyer.pdf, half-page flyer, 3MB.

Protesters plan to target Morgan mink farms, Standard-Examiner, August 13, 2009
Morgan council supports mink ranchers, defines picketing rules, Standard-Examiner, September 25, 2009
Morgan’s attempt to stifle mink protest may backfire, Letter to the Editor by Peter Young in Standard-Examiner, September 25, 2009
OUR VIEW: Mink protest rules stink, Standard-Examiner Op-Ed, October 3, 2009

And surely more to come!

September 22, 2009 Morgan County Council Meeting Audio 

September 22, 2009 Morgan County Council Meeting Minutes