Activists block sausage factory in Delmenhorst – Peaceful protest!

Activists block sausage factory in Delmenhorst – Peaceful protest!

Today, October 10, 2025, around 60 activists came to the gates of the Könecke meat factory in Delmenhorst. The aim of the campaign is to draw attention to the abuses in the meat industry. In addition to blocking the sausage factory, the demonstrators also blocked access to a feed importer in the Bremen grain port. Some of them have even taped themselves to underline their calls for a real change in nutrition. According to the police, the protest has been peaceful so far, but access to the sausage factory premises remains restricted. The activists carry a striking banner with the inscription “Disrupt the animal industry” and thus show their lack of understanding of the massive meat production in Germany.

Könecke is a subsidiary of the Tönnies Group, which is considered the largest pig slaughterer in Germany and slaughters around 13 million pigs every year. The background to this protest is the growing criticism of meat production, which is often associated with animal suffering, environmental destruction and challenging working conditions. Consumers in Germany have also been demanding more socially just and ecologically sustainable alternatives in the agricultural and food system for a while. This problem is highlighted primarily by the debate about animal welfare. A uniform seal of quality for animal welfare standards is in demand among consumers in order to ensure better traceability, as Statista reports.

Joint protests for a change in nutrition

At the same time as the blockade in Delmenhorst, around 100 activists organized a sit-in in Bremen. However, this takes place on public property, so no people were arrested here. However, some of the demonstrators are masked and were taken to the police to verify their identities. The group “Disrupt Now”, which is behind these actions, has been setting up a protest camp in Bremer Neustadt since Thursday.

The protest is not only directed against Könecke, but also against the entire meat industry. Another demonstration is already planned in Bremen next Saturday. The activists from Delmenhorst and Bremen are campaigning for a fundamental change in food production under the umbrella of “Disrupt Now” and are calling for an end to mass animal farming. They see the current meat industry not only as an ethical problem, but also as a major challenge for the environment and the future of nutrition.

In the course of these activities, the critical situation in other parts of Germany is also discussed. For example, there was already a blockade in Crailsheim in April 2025, when 80 activists blocked several entrances to a slaughterhouse to protest against the planned takeover of the site by the Tönnies Group. These actions are part of a broader movement that is directed against the greed of large corporations and calls for a socially just, ecological and plant-based agricultural transition. The signs of the need for systemic change are obvious - the climate crisis, animal suffering and the precarious situation of slaughterhouse workers are topics that are more anchored in the public consciousness than ever.

The protests are supported by a broad base, which is also reflected in the increasing demand for organic products and animal welfare. The largest animal protection organization PETA and other national associations are actively campaigning for these issues, and in recent years the number of animal experiments in Germany has decreased - evidence of the growing awareness in society.