Animal rights protesters pour milk into luxury department stores
Two activists protested the use of dairy products by tipping out bottles of milk in Fortnum & Mason and Selfridges
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Animal rights activists have poured out milk in two high-end London department stores in a protest against the use of dairy products.
Two activists from Animal Rebellion targeted Fortnum & Mason and Selfridges on Friday.
Animal Rebellion said that the man and woman involved were Steve Bone, a photographer from Thorpe-Le-Soken, Essex and Sofia Fernandes Pontes, a student from Madeira, Portugal.
Mr Bone and Ms Fernandes Pontes entered Fortnum & Mason on Piccadilly at 11.35am, took milk from the shelves and emptied it onto the floor of the shop.
A video showed them then being escorted towards the exit by security staff. The same two activists then entered Selfridges on Oxford Street around 12.30pm.
They were filmed pouring milk over a cheese display. One person off-camera asked staff: “Do you guys not intervene?”
The member of staff replied: “We’re not allowed to.”
Another onlooker said: “F***ing ashamed of yourselves.”
As the activists started to leave, he said: “Yeah, toss off, now. Bugger off.”
Another onlooker blocked Ms Fernandes Pontes as she walked away, catching her neck with his outstretched arm.
The activists were then escorted to the exit by security staff.
Animal Rebellion said that the pair took action “to highlight the need to transition to a plant-based food system and a sustainable way of feeding the planet, without exploitation of animals”.
Ms Fernandes Pontes said: “I don’t want to see my children grow up in a world surrounded by drought, destruction of nature, and food shortages. I want them to see a world full of wildlife and beauty.
“Transitioning to a plant-based future is simply essential if we want to see a better world for everyone, supporting farmers to move into profitable and sustainable plant-based production is a no-brainer for (Prime Minister) Liz Truss and (Environment Secretary) Ranil Jayawardena.”
Mr Bone said: “I took action throughout September to push for a plant-based future, and I am taking action again today because Liz Truss and Ranil Jayawardena are still refusing to listen.
“My little girl’s future is on the line and the Government’s response is to ignore advice from Oxford and Harvard and, instead, opt to drive us all further into the climate, ecological, and cost-of-living crises.”
The action comes the day before Animal Rebellion plan to occupy the capital.
The activists will gather outside Green Park tube station at 11am on Saturday for a demonstration and march.