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Angry Butcher Swings Raw Meat At Vegan Protesters

Angry Butcher Swings Raw Meat At Vegan Protesters

The group said the protest had been intended to be a silent protest using non-graphic placards

Nathan Standley

Nathan Standley

A butcher has been filmed waving hunks of meat at vegan protesters in Leeds.

The butcher reacted angrily when security asked the protesters to leave Kirkgate Market in the centre of the Yorkshire city and they refused.

The video clearly shows him approaching the protester recording the incident having grabbed some meat from his counter - what appears to be a rack of ribs and a long T-Bone steak - which he then forces towards the protesters' faces.

Jam Press

Vegan protester Ginette Lindstrom, who recorded the footage and bore the brunt of the bloody barrage, said the protest had been intended to be a silent protest using non-graphic placards, but they nonetheless received a particularly hostile response.

She said: "The abuse started immediately as we had turned the corner and became visible to the butchers.

"I felt it was important to start recording live to capture the moment and so that people could see that we remained peaceful at all times and in case of physical assault or further verbal abuse.

"The butcher physically assaulted me with the animal body parts. He pushed them in my face and into the face of two others and forced it to the mouth of another who got animal blood on her cheek."

And it wasn't just the butchers (the natural nemesis of the vegan) who took issue with the protest. Bizarrely, the owners of the vegetable stall nearby also took up the mantle against the vegans who, you'd imagine, they would want to keep on side as potential customers.

Jam Press

Ginette said: "I had water thrown at me along with the other protesters from the guys who owned the vegetable stall opposite the butchers. My phone got soaked among other things.

"Everyone was attacked verbally - progressing onto very violent verbal threats, we were told we were going to receive physical abuse if we did not move or stop recording and that our equipment would be smashed."

A butcher even took it upon himself to sit a whole pig's head on top of his counter staring out at the protesters.

Jam Press

And the backlash didn't end there, with hostilities reportedly continuing outside the market.

Since Ginette uploaded the content, she has received both criticism and support from people online - although supporters are a lot less keen to overtly associate themselves with the vegans than the trolls.

Ginette said: "The reaction has been mixed as we expected but this post has really highlighted some extremely twisted and disturbed individuals and promoters for the agricultural industry.

"However we have also received a lot of positive support especially via inbox from people who haven't wanted to comment on the posts due to the behaviour and language of those promoting and in favour of eating animals."

The incident has since been reported to the police.

Featured Image Credit: Jam Press

Topics: UK News, News, Protest