After storming four dairy facilities throughout the nation, police detained 10 more vegan activists today. The eco-zealots pledged to keep up their struggle against the UK’s dairy oligarchies.
As they began their second day of direct action, supporters of Animal Rebellion descended into Arla and Muller’s processing facilities to let down truck tyres and fill pipes with expanding foam.
Due to the cost-of-living crisis, vegan activists shut down dairy processing plants for a second day in a row, risking the wrath of the general public.
A spokesperson for Animal Rebellion claimed in a statement posted online that they were upsetting the dairy giants “in the name of animal and climate justice.”
Just hours before the new leader of the Tory Party is announced, another Extinction Rebellion protest was held in front of the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in Westminster.
Police frisked one man before holding him while four others were seen sitting in the road outside Westminster Abbey holding signs that read, “Plant-based future.”
While others broke into business locations to scale milk silos and loading bays, the anti-animal farming vegan protesters yesterday forced the trucks of the largest dairy companies to stop so that they could get on them.
The largest dairy distribution centre in the UK, which is owned by Arla and located near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, as well as three Muller plants—at Droitwich, Severnside, and Bridgwater—were all blocked off.
After the eco-fanatics stormed inside the factory and chained themselves to things, five protesters were still present at the Bridgwater location while specialised officers were brought to the scene.
Joel Scott-Halkes, 30, a protester taking part in the London sit-in, declared today: “We are going to keep disrupting the dairy industry until there are shortages in supermarkets.”
He continued, “We will continue to do this until the Government and the new prime minister meet our demands,” which include ensuring the shift to plant-based farming and reclaiming the land that will be freed up as a result.
The Extinction Rebellion offshoot admits to disobeying a High Court injunction recently obtained by Arla to put an end to the protests.
Twenty-three protesters were detained at the Arla site, Thames Valley Police (TVP) said last night. Today, MailOnline contacted TVP to request a statement.
The Severnside Dairy plant has continued to operate throughout the protest, according to Gloucestershire Police, who also reported that they detained eight people there.
According to Animal Rebellion, its supporters will keep engaging in non-violent direct action until the government supports shifting away from animal husbandry and fishing in favour of a system based on plants.
If the demonstrations continue for two weeks, “it is inevitable that there will be milk shortages on supermarket shelves,” according to the injunction Arla requested to put an end to the demonstrations.
When asked about the protesters at their Aylesbury site yesterday, Arla responded that production was proceeding as usual and that they were cooperating closely with the local police to resolve the issue.
We are disappointed to have been singled out by a small group of activists who don’t speak for the 96% of British adults who choose milk each week, and we’ll make sure that supplies are kept up, said Muller UK & Ireland.
“Dairy is readily available and rich in nutrients that are good for our bodies. It is wrong to try to stop a cost of living crisis from affecting families during one.
According to Thames Valley Police Assistant Chief Constable Dennis Murray, the protest temporarily disrupted the Arla Foods facility and the A41, but it has since been safely resolved with the arrest of 23 people.
“Our reaction to the protest has compromised our ability to manage crimes and safeguard vulnerable people across the Thames Valley.”
The Thames Valley Police will take action when protest activity interferes with people going about their lawful business, even though they respect the right to peaceful protest.
“The Thames Valley Police will always respond forcefully to those who commit crimes while participating in protests.”
“Protesters have left the area, and patrols will stay in the area,” it said.
10% of the dairy products produced in the UK are processed at the Arla Aylesbury distribution center, which distributes roughly two billion litres of fresh milk annually between its four locations.
According to the group, the government must “rewild the freed-up land and ocean” and assist farmers in switching to a plant-based diet.
Recent videos of Animal Rebellion pouring milk on the Harrods Food Hall floor drew harsh criticism from social media users, who labelled the stunt as “foolish.”
Twitter users pointed out that the protestors – who also staged sit ins at other supermarkets and cleared shelves of milk and dairy products – were only making ‘a mess for the cleaners to clean up’ and making it ‘dangerous for disabled customers’.
One said: ‘You didn’t hurt the dairy industry here, you gave them a large new order.
‘You hurt the workers at the store (who may be punished for the cost of the new order), you hurt poor and food insecure customers, you made it dangerous for disabled customers.
‘What is wrong with you?’
Another said: ‘Why do you clowns always make trouble for the working classes, never your own?’
The group have even been slammed by other vegans, who called their actions at Harrods ‘detrimental’ and ‘hypocritical’.
One account started the conversation saying: ‘Am I the only vegan who was seriously disturbed rather than impressed by the Harrods milk protest?
Other accounts were quick to voice their agreement, with one saying they ‘didn’t get it’ and it made ‘vegans look like fools’.
Another account said: ‘The mere idea of that protest angers me. It’s hypocritical at best.’