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Cape Town – If the charges stick, anti-fur lobbyist Dr Emy Wilhelm could find herself with a criminal record for allegedly placing a sticker on a Johannesburg shop that sells animal fur.
Wilhelm will appear in the Hillbrow Magistrate’s Court on February 2, after Robert Fischer of Erich Fischer Furriers reported her for malicious damage to property.
Animal activists believe this charge is not really about a sticker, but rather a way of intimidating their actions, according to Wilhelm.
Fischer thinks otherwise. "Dr Wilhelm and others have maliciously defaced our shop fronts on many occasions over the years,” he told Fin24.
“We as a company have been intimidated by Dr Wilhelm for the past years, almost on a bi-weekly basis, because she is retired and she has time for this,” he said. “Now she has been summoned to court for her actions and she wants to make it as though we are intimidating her.”
In 2014, Fin24 reported on Wilhelm’s anti-fur campaign at Fischer’s store in Firs Shopping Centre in Rosebank.
Read: Fur fury over Investec tenant
Read: Fur flies in animal rights debate
Wilhelm said police charged her on August 17, 2014, during a demonstration organised by Fur Free SA and Society for People, Animals and Environment Kindness (Speak) at the Zone and Firs Shopping Centre.
The incident was captured on video.
Watch:
‘CCTV failed to prove charge’
On October 27, Wilhelm appeared in court, where Fischer produced CCTV footage as evidence for his allegation.
“There was CCTV footage, which the senior public prosecutor (SPP) said was not clear enough to charge me,” said Wilhelm. “The charge was withdrawn and my bail was returned to me that same day.”
“Captain Sathekge phoned me to tell me the SPP had reopened the case and I was again charged with a warrant for my arrest,” she said.
“Despite the case being handed over to an investigating officer, Captain Sathekge has shown an unusual interest in proceedings, which by criminal standards is minor.”
Under siege
Fischer feels like his business is being unfairly attacked. “There are hundreds of formal and informal hide and skin dealers in South Africa,” he said. “I still do not understand why she [Wilhelm] is constantly on our case.
“There is simply no end to this woman’s constant intimidation and harassment against Erich Fischer Furriers.”
“This is our lively hood she has been interfering with for years,” he said. “It is surely unconstitutional to continually harass a working class of people.
“Regardless of whether she believes the fur trade is cruel or not, she has no right to stop others who want to wear fur, eat meat or wear leather.
Fair trade
“On a daily basis we directly or indirectly employ about 100 people locally and worldwide and we teach skills and crafts, pay taxes and rents and supply clients a very fine product.
“The shopping malls are family places and some of the last safe places for South Africans to relax and walk about, yet Dr Wilhelm and her friends choose to make this the place for hostility to act out her malice.”
“We have heard her version for years,” he said. “The truth is the public are still buying fur and leather and this will never stop and as long as we are running a clean organisation.
“I am not dealing in any illegal products, so have the full right to trade alongside any other retail store dealing in animal products, be it meat, leather garments, furniture, luggage and handbag stores.”
No reply
Wilhelm said she has consistently presented the facts of fur farming to Fischer and Investec, his landlord.
"I issued two Promotion of Access to Information (Act, 2000) applications to Mr Fischer requesting he reveals the source of his animal furs," she said. ""Every consumer has the right to know this."
"Mr Fischer refused to release this information, saying that his furs have the Origin Assured label," she said. "Displaying the Origin Assured label is not enough evidence to prove that fur production is compassionate."
"Investigations have shown that even 'assured' farms breed and kill animals in a brutal manner,"she said. "Fur farming is inherently cruel."
"Neither Mr Fischer nor Investec have produced evidence to show that fur farming is humane."
The Fur Free SA and Society for People, Animals and Environment Kindness (Speak) are expected to hold a protest outside the court on Monday.
