"Unconscionable Conduct"

The attempt to injunct a T-shirt

The story of a chicken farmer's lawyers ending up with egg on their faces

The Unconscionable Conduct T-shirt

The T-shirt was produced by Animal Liberation SA Inc after its conduct in raiding a battery hen shed was described in court as being "unconscionable". The back of the T-shirt was in the style of a "rock band tour" shirt and read:

The injunction hearing was won by unrepresented activists in front of a gallery full of journalists, although the T-shirt continued to form part of the ongoing case brought by the chicken farmer against Animal Liberation. The Animal Lib media release and newspaper article follow.

A Mans T-shirt is his castle

Final decision on battery hen
T-shirt due today

Tuesday 28th August 2001
Takhar v Animal Liberation 9am Supreme Court
Before Judge Burley Court Room #7 5th floor

On 20th July 2001 battery egg farmer Bhupinder Singh Takhar of Farm Gate Eggs sent 5 lawyers into the Supreme Court to try and stop Animal Liberation from selling and distributing a T-shirt and poster about battery hen farming.

The poster was dealt with by agreement, however the 5 silken lawyers failed to obtain an interim injunction against the self represented Animal Liberation defence team of Dr Ogle and Ralph Hahnheuser (despite Mr. Hahnheuser wearing the offending item during argument and being accused of being in bad taste).

Animal Liberation has since been continuing to sell the T-shirts and a number of shirts are now treasured souvenirs overseas, have been bought by current and past politicians as memorabilia, and even worn by prominent actors. The remainder have been sold to members and supporters of Animal Liberation's battery hen campaign.

Today's argument will be a final argument about whether the T-shirts should continue to be sold or injuncted, and it is expected that the court will resemble scenes from "The Castle" as Dr Ogle and Mr. Hahnheuser argue that the wearing of T-shirts with political slogans is an implied right of the Australian Constitution and represents an act of political free speech.

Photo opportunities available if we win again!