British justice examines whether veganism is a philosophical belief

[Jultxxxyes]

A citizen complains against his dismissal by considering him discriminatory

 

A vegan convinced that his way of life requires some kind of legal coverage has been brought before the British justice to claim protection from a dismissal that he considers discriminatory. The case raised by Jordi Casamitjana, vegan for 17 years, before a labor court will try to settle for the first time in the United Kingdom if veganism is a “philosophical belief” worthy of being equated with other religions or simply an option used in this case as an excuse for the complainant.

The lawsuit filed by Casamitjana before a court in Norwich (east of England) says he was fired from his job in the League Against Cruel Sports - an organization that fights against sports such as fox hunting or, beyond the British borders, the bullfighting - for their declared vegan convictions. The former worker of that organization stood before his bosses, according to the summary, when he discovered that companies that carry out animal experiments participated in the group's pension plan.

 

The company denies the accusations and adduces in its defense the erratic nature of its now former employee. A spokesman for the organization has insisted on its unambiguous defense of veganism and other ways to reject animal exploitation. The case, they argue, affects an employee who did not do his job and now relies on an alleged loyalty of his beliefs to resolve a labor complaint.

The lawsuit is based on the discrimination that it claims was subject to its declared veganism and aims to force a change in the British Equality Law to incorporate this philosophy or way of life. The law, passed in 2010, defines "religion or belief" as one of the nine "protected characteristics" that include race, sex, pregnancy and motherhood as factors against any type of discrimination.

Casamitjana presented to the judges at a hearing held on Thursday his resistance to using public transport - the private car was never an option - to avoid "collisions" with insects or birds. These and other animal species are victims, according to the plaintiff, of what we now call development.

The plaintiff also declares himself a "companion of animals" who denies the label of "companion animals" and is allergic to zoos or any other form of "animal exploitation". His lawyer, Peter Daly, has argued that "ethical veganism is a philosophical belief that has growing support in the United Kingdom and the rest of the world."

What the Norwich judges decide in a first instance (always pending a subsequent appeal) will impose a reference for the activists of the cause, taking Casamitjana's ultimate objective as the possibility of establishing that any action that contravenes veganism would have of being the subject of a discrimination complaint.

Veganism rejects the consumption of all food and animal products, including objects made from skin or honey, as well as the use of animals in pharmacological experiments. It is "a philosophy and a belief system," according to the complainant. Casamitjana has obtained 8,700 pounds (more than 10,000 euros) through a crowdfunding campaign to finance the process. If it succeeds, the United Kingdom will be the first major country to host specific rights for vegans.