A cafe on a goat farm was forced to close after relentless harassment by vegan activists, including theft of some of the farm’s animals.
The Gippy Goat Cafe, in Yarragon, Victoria, Australia, posted a message on Facebook announcing the closure of the small town cafe in a heartfelt statement on April 6:
“The Gippy Goat Café has decided to close, today will be our last day. We would like to thank our dedicated staff, our social media followers and loyal customers for your unfailing support but we do not have the heart to continue the café.This was not an easy decision to reach, however for the sake of our health and safety and that of our families and staff we feel that it is regrettably the best option.”
The owners explained what they and the staff have been through for the past few months, motivating the difficult business decision.
The Gippy Goat Café has decided to close, today will be our last day. We would like to thank our dedicated staff, our…
Posted by The Gippy Goat Cafe on Saturday, April 6, 2019
“Our staff and customers have been subjected to nearly 4 months of constant harassment, vile statements and threats from the abusive vegan activists. We have personally been subjected to an appalling stream of threats of extreme violence against ourselves, our family, our staff and even their families. Our staff have been subjected to daily threats and harassment by phone, and we cannot in good conscience ask them to continue working under such a condition.”
The cafe serves coffee, tea, and other drinks, and has a breakfast and lunch menu. The menu includes meat dishes, including goat curry and a breakfast selection with goat sausage, according to the cafe’s website.
“The staff have been telling us they get phone calls every day (from vegans),” Farm and cafe owner John Gommans told The Weekly Times. “One (staff member) said one in every two calls were people saying how bad we were as employers, how our staff should go get a better job and what terrible people we are, and that we kill animals because we serve meat.”
The cafe’s Instagram account is full of pictures of the cafe’s food, and the farm’s goats, including many that show people hanging out, feeding, and having fun with the goats.
In addition to the physical harassment and sabotage of the cafe and its staff, on the internet, the cafe has been subjected to smear campaigns of bad reviews and false statements meant to defame, according to the cafe’s Facebook statement.
“Anyone who posted something on Instagram or Facebook sharing how they enjoyed the day and how their grandchildren played with the animals … we saw on numerous occasions people withdrew their posts because they didn’t want to be attacked,” Gommans told The Weekly Times.
The cafe’s problems started in December, after 70 activists stole three goats and a lamb. They then proceeded with months of harassment. One of the animals was even stolen twice, according to a Facebook post from the cafe.
Sadly to report, at around 1:17am on January 31st, the goat named Angel who was stolen from our farm at Christmas last…
Posted by The Gippy Goat Cafe on Thursday, January 31, 2019
The cafe owners said that they have received little help from the authorities. A vegan activist was fined only $1 for stealing animals from the farm, The Weekly Standard reported.
Other punishments for the activists’ crimes were extremely light and far below the cost the crime brought to the cafe owners, Perth Now reported.
Here is a clip of some security footage showing the theft of our farm animals from another angle.Be sure to tune in to WIN News Gippsland tonight at 6 to see a report on the Gippy Goat and this brazen theft.We know who many of these people are, but since many are minors we will avoid publishing their identities to prevent harassment. We are confident that most if not all will be subject to charges of trespass and theft or accessory. If you have been an unwilling participant to these thefts, we recommend contacting Warragul or Trafalgar police. If you need to speak with your parents or another advisor about this, now may be a good time.We’ve also been made aware of a fraudulent claim on the health of a stolen goat, and believe it to be a misleading attempt to receive funds by the leaders of the group. If you have information regarding the whereabouts of our stolen animals, you may anonymously contact the Warragul or Trafalgar police.
Posted by The Gippy Goat Cafe on Sunday, December 23, 2018
“The courts have proven to be ineffectual, the enforcement agencies declined to prosecute to the full extent, so, to the thieves, trespassers and activists; you have won. Rejoice in your victory: eight good people are now without a job, families no longer can enjoy the good food and open space, and children can no longer interact with our animals,” continued the cafe’s Facebook statement.
The owners wrote in the statement that they will continue to operate as a farm, closed to the public.
Gommans is working with an Australian politician on a petition that he hopes will lead to laws that provide stronger protections for Australian farmers.