EDGEWOOD, B.C. — Mounties in British Columbia are currently investigating a surge in “escalating threats of violence” directed at businesses believed to be linked with a cull involving approximately 400 ostriches, which have, for the moment, been spared from euthanasia. The cull was initially ordered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) due to an outbreak of avian influenza that was first identified at Universal Ostrich Farms last December.
According to the RCMP, businesses throughout the province have been inundated with calls and emails containing language aimed at intimidation, particularly if they continue to engage in activities related to the cull. In a development that temporarily halts the cull, the Supreme Court of Canada granted an interim stay on Wednesday, allowing Universal Ostrich Farms to appeal a prior lower court ruling that permitted the cull to go ahead. The CFIA has stated it will comply with this stay while maintaining oversight of the ostrich enclosure at the farm located in southeastern British Columbia.
The situation took a more serious turn on Wednesday, as RCMP reported that one business in the Lower Mainland received threats claiming that its offices would be targeted, and its employees followed and attacked at their homes. In response, the RCMP have initiated several investigations with the intention of making arrests and submitting charges against those responsible for the threats. They emphasized that there is no internet-based protection for individuals inciting violence under the pretense of protest.
Police noted that some businesses receiving threats were incorrectly targeted. Reports of the intimidation began on Monday when officers escorted CFIA representatives onto the ostrich farm in Edgewood. Some of the supporters gathered at the farm could be heard encouraging each other to leave negative online reviews of businesses that were assisting the CFIA in their operations.
The CFIA continues to hold search warrants that authorize the agency to take control of crucial areas of the farm, including the ostriches’ pen. While under the agency's custody, the CFIA has pledged to provide “appropriate feed and water with veterinary oversight” to the ostriches, which have survived the avian flu outbreak that resulted in the deaths of about 70 birds on the farm.
Karen Espersen and her daughter Katie Pasitney, who are at the forefront of the campaign to save their ostriches, received the news of the stay shortly after concluding a prayer session with supporters at their property. The mother-daughter duo was previously arrested on Tuesday for refusing to vacate the ostrich enclosure but were later released on the condition that they do not enter the area again.
This interim stay represents the cumulative effect of ongoing court battles and online advocacy aimed at rescuing the ostrich flock from destruction following the avian flu crisis. Karen Espersen expressed a mix of emotions upon hearing the news of the stay, indicating both numbness and joy.
As the situation unfolds, CFIA workers can be seen wearing protective gear while distributing feed inside the ostrich pen. On the previous day, a wall of hay bales had been constructed around part of the enclosure to prepare for the cull. However, some of those bales were found charred from a fire believed to have been suspicious in nature. In response to these developments, an opaque fence approximately three meters high was installed in front of the bales, visible from the highway, to enhance security around the ostriches.
