HILVERSUM—Activists released approximately 2,500 mink from a mink farm in the southern town of Stavenisse on Saturday night. However, said the Public Prosecutor's Office, nearly all the animals were recaptured shortly afterwards. Some were run down and killed on local roads.

The letters 'DBF' were found written in whitewash on one of the farm's fences. 'DBF' stands for 'Dieren Bevrijdingsfront' (Animal Liberation Front).

The release followed the news, on Saturday, that the Netherlands is now the international centre for radical animal rights activists.

In an exclusive interview with Dutch public broadcaster NOS, a British undercover officer who spent years infiltrating the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) says the Netherlands is now the international centre for radical animal rights activists.

In Great Britain, the officer's undercover activities led to the arrest and imprisonment of the ALF's core members and, indirectly, to tougher legislation in the UK. According to the agent, the new laws prompted organisations such as the ALF to relocate to the Netherlands.

The officer says animal rights campaigns are coordinated in the Netherlands and carried out all over Europe. Particular targets are laboratories that carry out animal testing and the companies that do business with them.

The Labour Party responded by saying that a special representative of the Public Prosecutor's Officer should be empowered to track activists down.

The Christian Democrats said all European countries should implement the same regulations so that activists could not flee to locations where the laws against them were more lenient.

Radio Netherlands/Expatica