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Animal Rebellion divide opinion by emptying milk in supermarkets
By Joanna Sarah-Freedman
17 Oct 2022
3m
Vegan activists, Animal Rebellion, have caused a stir by emptying cartons of milk across UK supermarkets.
You can watch a clip of them in action below:
Milk Pours are currently happening across the UK. All are concerned individuals calling on the government to give us a livable future, a #PlantBasedFuture
Here's the latest milk pour happening in Edinburgh @waitrose pic.twitter.com/mawKIylEmI
— Animal Rising (@AnimalRising) October 15, 2022
The group, who are protesting for animal rights and fighting against animal farming, have been seen visiting different shops lately, including Harrods, Fortnum and Mason, Waitrose and Marks and Spencer, to throw the milk out in a controversial statement.
At the Marks and Spencer protest, four people were arrested for assault and criminal damage.
“This is not how I imagined spending my weekend,” said one of the activists at the Fortnum and Mason protest.
“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.”
Animal Rebellion pouring milk out of cartons in protest (Credit: Animal Rebellion/ Twitter)
Whilst a protestor at Harrods 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, their actions have received a mixed response online.
Branding the behaviour “disgusting”, one person wrote: “Wow. With the current cost of living crisis this is an extremely bad move. People are struggling to buy basics and you do this.
“You need to stop pushing your beliefs on others especially when all this does is upset the everyday person”.
The activists oppose the dairy industry (Credit: Alamy)
“This is literally increasing demand for milk while doing nothing to win any support for veganism,” said someone else.
Whilst a third penned: “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.”
“You do this when so many are struggling trying to decide whether to heat or eat? Be ashamed. This is actively turning people against your cause,” said a fourth.
Animal Rebellion has previously explained that it believes radical action is needed in order to ensure a “plant-based future”.
When Twisted contacted Animal Rebellion for comment, and they replied: ”These actions, understandably, have been divisive.
“Luxury department stores like Harrods, or high-end supermarkets like Marks and Spencer were deliberately chosen so those struggling with the cost-of-living crisis were not impacted.
“The reality is that if the government had acted responsibly in recent years then we wouldn’t be in a cost-of-living crisis in the first place”.
