Vegan activists slammed for pouring milk on supermarket floors to send a message
A group of vegan activists have been visiting shops up and down the UK and pouring out a load of milk all over the floor. You can see their protest action below:
It’s similar to the work of groups like Just Stop Oil, Insulate Britain, and Extinction Rebellion, but these folks are called Animal Rebellion.
The activists are fighting for animal rights, as well as protesting against animal farming and fishing in order to make a ‘plant-based future possible’.
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Their latest protest – which has divided opinion amongst some – has been heading out to different shops, including Harrods in London’s Knightsbridge, and dumping all of the milk out, sometimes all over other goods.
Their targets have also included a Marks & Spencer in Norwich, where four people were arrested for offences of assault and criminal damage, and another high-end London shop Fortnum and Mason.
Activists also descended on Waitrose and Whole Foods shops in London and Edinburgh.
One of the activists involved in the action at Fortnum and Mason said: "This is not how I imagined spending my weekend.
"Unfortunately, this disruption is necessary to get those in power to listen to the academics at Oxford, Harvard and the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change).
"The world's best climate and land scientists are calling for the transition to a plant-based food system.
"We need bold and decisive politics at this time, not the horror show we currently see."
One of the Harrods protestors added: "Supporters of Animal Rebellion are back acting because [Prime Minister] Liz Truss and Ranil Jayawardena [Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs] are again deciding to ignore calls to start building a better future.
"A plant-based future would see a beautiful world for us all, thriving with nature and life."
However, not everyone has been supportive of their actions, however rational and thoughtful they might be.
One critic tweeted: “I really hope you lose the support you crave today.
“This is a massive miscalculation on your part in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis. Bravo.”
Another said: “I've been vegan for 8 years now & mortified by this. Waitrose will now have to order yet more dairy milk to replace it.
“So that's more harm done. And as a shop worker I would be one of the people who had to come & clean this up.”
While a third wrote: “I gave up dairy years ago and agree completely that the industry is grim.
“I also work in climate and know how important moving to plant-based could be.
“Causing a mess that some poor supermarket staff have to clean up, and playing into the hands of your detractors isn't it.”
Robert Gordon, a spokesperson for Animal Rebellion told LADbible: "We are taking this dramatic action because our Government are failing to act on the climate and ecological emergencies.
"We have seen throughout history that nonviolent direct action achieves results, results that are clearly needed when the world's leading scientists are telling us we have the next 2-3 years to ensure a liveable future for everyone.
"Nonetheless, we acknowledge that when we engage in civil resistance some level of disruption is inevitable, so we deliberately targeted high-end stores like Selfridges and Waitrose to minimise the impact for the many people struggling in this cost-of-living crisis.
"When we take these provocative actions, we do so to communicate clearly to the Government that they must support farmers in a transition to a plant-based future.
"A future where we produce more food on less land, reducing concerns around food security and the cost of food.
"A future where we can simultaneously back British farmers and re-wild the countryside, draw-down carbon from the atmosphere, and restore our precious wildlife.
"A future with a stable climate where everyone can thrive."
Topics: UK News, Food And Drink, Environment
Tom Wood