Seven activists arrested for occupying Utrecht restaurant

Seven activists were arrested during the occupation of a restaurant in the center of Utrecht on Friday evening. The group became active in the Lijnmarkt located restaurant because the french delicacy foie gras was on the menu there.

The activists began what they call a "playful occupation" around 7 p.m. and refused to leave the restaurant until foie gras was off the menu. Foie gras is the fatty liver of ducks or geese. These animals are fattened through a funnel or tube over a short period of time, a practice that is banned in the Netherlands.

As a result, six activists were arrested for refusing to leave the restaurant. Two of them chained themselves and had to be freed by the police. One activist however, was arrested because he could not identify himself.

During the action, a guest of the restaurant injured his leg. He slipped on leaflets handed out by activists and subsequently had to be taken to hospital. The campaign ended around 9:30 p.m., police reported.