COSBOA has noted the current campaign by the Vegan activists and the damage it is causing to honest small business people and their employees and to other innocent peoples’ lives.
Peter Strong, CEO of COSBOA, stated today “we live in a democratic society where protests are not just allowed but are seen as healthy when done properly. But we all know that protests that target people and their livelihood, that target employees who cannot find other work and who target the mental health of families of businesses is not just illegal but it creates an environment where no solution is reached and innocent people and whole communities are damaged.”
COSBOA knows that small business include: supermarkets, butchers, abattoirs, cafes, restaurants, specialist food businesses, delicatessens, transport businesses, broad acre farms, specialists farms, hobby farms, processing facilities among others. These businesses employ many other people. Many of these businesses are found in regional Australia and are the backbone of local economies. Many of these businesses are not just a key to jobs but they also sponsor sporting teams and support local charities. These businesses are being viciously attacked or will be at some stage unless we bring sense to the protestors behaviour.
Mr Strong added “the attack by these few belligerents is an attack on broader society and on the economy. We all know that when a few try to force their opinion on the many that conflict will occur, people will be damaged and no one really wins. The good and honest vegans out there, the majority, should not be targeted or criticised for the unnecessary behaviour of a very small but aggressive minority.”
Mr Strong also stated “We know law enforcement agencies will do what is necessary to protect innocent people from this aggression. Any person found guilty of a crime as part of this activity must be sent the right message by the legal system. What they are doing is illegal and not without victims.”