France Cracks Down on Factory Farms

France has long been known for its foie gras and horse-meat steaks. These days, it’s also the epicenter of a surprisingly effective animal-rights campaign. Armed with grisly undercover videos shot in slaughterhouses, a group of vegan activists called L214—the name refers to the animal-welfare section of France’s civil code—has used social media to spur public outrage. That’s prompted a government crackdown on meat producers. L214 co-founder Brigitte Gothière says, “We’ve shattered the image of meat.”

In footage shared widely online, animals writhe in pain as they bleed to death or are dismembered, in violation of rules requiring that animals be rendered unconscious before slaughter. One of the facilities shown in the videos was certified as “organic.” Authorities ordered the closure of three slaughterhouses featured in the videos; they were later allowed to reopen under strict supervision. Parliament has appointed a special committee to investigate.