Matthias Graf, media spokesman for the Thurgau cantonal police, confirmed an operation on the farm at the request of 20 Minutes. “We are implementing a judicial order from the Arbon district court,” said Graf. This is a judicial expulsion.
The farm was auctioned off by the Arbon district debt collection office around a year ago. The Tyrolean Stefan Müssigang, who actually wanted to grow vegetables in Hefenhofen this year, was awarded the contract. Because Ulrich K. didn’t leave the farm despite several requests.
Now the yard was fenced off. “If Ulrich K. enters the farm, he is committing a criminal offense for trespassing,” said Kapo Thurgau.
It is not the first time that the police have visited the farm in Hefenhofen. In August 2017, all horses from the farm in Hefenhofen were confiscated and transported away following allegations of animal cruelty. In a trial in 2023, Ulrich K. was acquitted of most of the charges.
The appeal process is currently underway at the Thurgau Higher Court. This takes place over several weeks. Preliminary questions are still being dealt with; animal cruelty will only be discussed on later days of the trial. On Wednesday there were also preliminary questions. It seems that the authorities took advantage of the time when Ulrich K. was in court to fence in and control the yard.
At the trial in spring 2023, Ulrich K. was only convicted of animal cruelty in one case: because he did not look carefully after an injured horse was being transported. There were acquittals on all other animal cruelty charges. K. was also found guilty of gross violation of traffic rules and misuse of ID cards and signs. For this he received a conditional prison sentence of eight months.
According to rumors, Ulrich K. found out what was going on in Hefenhofen during the lunch break of the trial. It was then assumed that he would arrive on site soon, and the yard was cordoned off over a large area. All journalists and those present on site were turned away and the access roads were cordoned off. Ultimately, Ulrich K. didn’t show up and the barriers were lifted again.
At around 3 p.m. the police said that a symbolic handover of the keys had taken place. Between who and what this exactly means was not specified. The authorities are very reluctant to provide information about the police operation. Not much more than “this is a judicial expulsion” can be found out.
In the wider local community it is said that Ulrich K. was still living in Hefenhofen until Wednesday morning.
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