James Cromwell superglued his hand to a counter at Starbucks as part of a People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) protest. Watch here:
The veteran actor – who has starred in the likes of Babe, Green Mile and Succession – took the action in a branch of the coffee house chain in New York City yesterday, 10 May, after the company introduced a surcharge for vegan milk.
Joining other PETA protestors, the Oscar-nominated actor wore a 'Free the Animals' T-shirt and read out a statement criticising Starbucks' policy and use of dairy.
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The 82-year-old said: "More than 13,000 customers have asked you, now we're asking you – will you stop charging more for vegan milk?
"When will you stop raking in huge profits while customers, animals and the environment suffer?
"When will you stop penalising people for their ethnicities, their morals?"
Cromwell added that mother cows in the dairy industry suffer just the same as any human mother would.
He continued: "Cows produce milk for the same reason humans do: to nourish their young. But in the dairy industry, they give birth and their babies are taken from them almost immediately so that their milk can be sold.
"Mother cows cry for their infants for days.
"These mothers must endure the loss of their child over and over again. They suffer no less than human mothers would."
Cromwell eventually used a knife to cut himself free from the counter, and police said no arrests were made.
Starbucks outlets in the United States charge 50 cents to a dollar more for drinks made with plant-based milks.
A spokesperson for the chain said it respects customers' right to voice their opinions 'so long as it does not disrupt our store operations'.
The spokesperson added: "Customers can customize any beverage on the menu with a non-dairy milk, including soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk, and oat milk for an additional cost (similar to other beverage customizations such as an additional espresso shot or syrup)."
Cromwell has been an activist for many decades, campaigning for numerous causes.
He became a vegetarian in the 1970s, before going vegan while playing Farmer Hoggett in Babe – a role which earned him an Academy Award nomination.
In 2017, he was charged with trespassing for interrupting an orca show at SeaWorld in San Diego.
Topics: US News, Food And Drink, Vegan, Starbucks
Jake Massey