Famed department store Harvey Nichols has won a High Court injunction against anti-fur protestors to stop what it characterised as ‘nuisance’ tactics disturbing its customers. The retailer had recently reversed a 10-year ban on stocking fur products and that had attracted vocal criticism from animal rights campaigners.
The retailer said activists had entered two of its stores and voiced their opposition to the decision. Graphic photos of animals used for their fur had also been displayed and there had been instances where clients had been ‘obstructed’ from getting into the stores by protestors blocking doorways.
The injunction introduced a raft of measures, including ‘exclusion zones’ outside the entrances to Harvey Nichols’ seven stores across the country. Activists were also banned from using megaphones or ‘harassing or threatening’ staff and customers.
Various anti-fur campaign groups argued that the order sought was too restrictive and the terms of the injunction were to some extent relaxed to take account of their right to protest peacefully. The Court observed that the order was designed to strike a fair balance between the rights of Harvey Nichols and its customers to go about their legitimate business and protestors’ entitlement to express their views in public.