McDonald's attacker freed from jail

Jose Bove leaves prison 24 pounds thinner after a four-week hunger strike

PARIS, France -- A radical French sheep farmer who attacked a McDonald's restaurant has been released for good behaviour halfway through his jail sentence.

French environmental activist Jose Bove was released from prison on Thursday after serving just 40 days of his three-month jail sentence in a prison in Villeneuve-les-Maguelon, in southern France.

Bove, who had previously served 19 days in jail during the investigation of his case, was greeted by about 600 of his supporters on his release.

The head of the radical Confederation Paysanne farmers' union thanked his supporters and said: "Our struggle is just starting. We must denounce the arbitrary actions of the government that puts trade union leaders into jail.

"Prison is abominable, but I was here for all of you, so that helped me," he added.

Bove, who has been attending civil rights and anti-globalisation protests around the world, was jailed for smashing a half-built McDonald's in 1999 using farm equipment in a protest against U.S. trade policy.

He tried to justify the McDonald's attack by saying the action had been legal and necessary in response to punitive U.S. taxes on Roquefort cheese and other European farm goods.

At his release Bove said: "The World Trade Organization had just ordered Europe to accept hormone-treated beef. It was illegal, but when legality is illegitimate, it's legitimate to move into illegality."

'Symbolic figure'

The nine other activists involved in the attack were convicted in March 2001, but Bove was the only one jailed. This was decided as Bove acted as leader of the campaign against what he calls "foul food" -- genetically modified crops and fast food.

His long track of destroying fields of genetically modified crops means that Bove still could end up in prison on charges for earlier cases.

His lawyer, Francois Roux said: "Prison still awaits Jose if the appeals court does not throw out another sentence of 14 months he has, and he still faces another trial on September 17."

Before Bove's sentencing members of his Confederation Paysanne trade union met representatives of France's highest-profile anti-globalisation group, Attac, to discuss how to mobilise public opinion in support of Bove.

"By targeting from the outset a symbolic figure of the social movement, before the new parliament even meets, the government is signaling its intention of violating union freedoms and blocking debate," Confederation Paysanne said.

In February justice officials feared that Bove's fate could become an electoral issue, and would not enforce the three-month sentence until the second round of legislative elections ended two months of voting for president and parliament.

After his release Bove joined his supporters for a huge picnic near the prison, to discuss genetically modified food.