Police detain suspected duck slaughterhouse arsonist

Police in Ermelo have arrested a man on Saturday in connection with an arson incident earlier this week, which left five trucks in flames behind a duck slaughterhouse on Fokko Kortlanglaan. The 34-year-old Noord-Brabant man is currently being investigated for his involvement in Wednesday's incident.

The abattoirs' director, Gertjan Tomassen, publicly accused animal rights activists of setting the fire. According to local news service Omroep Gelderland, several surveillance photographs indicate that the fire, which caused multiple explosions, had been started using jerrycans filled with fuel.

In 2018, activist group Animal Rights published a video that depicted ducks being mistreated at the same facility, run by meat supplier Tomassen Duck-To. The company has denied all accusations levelled against them concerning the incident.