July 15, 2021 11.16 am This story is over 32 months old

McDonald’s protest threatens to ‘disrupt supply’ of burgers across the UK

The protesters say they will ‘do anything’ to get their message across
| Photo: Animal Rebellion

Around 50 environmental campaigners at a Scunthorpe burger factory plan to disrupt the supply of McDonald’s patties for ‘as long as they can’.

People have travelled from across the UK to join in Animal Rebellion’s demonstration at OSI Food Solutions on Luneburg Way, with activists from London, Manchester, Leeds and Hull, as well as local campaigners.

Animal Rebellion wants the fast food chain to go vegan by 2025 and says the factory currently produces 3 million patties for McDonald’s every day. Police are at the scene and campaigners claim they have ‘shut-down’ the operation this morning.

Harley McDonald-Eckersall, a spokesperson for Animal Rebellion who is at the protest, told The Lincolnite : “There are about 50 of us here, we’ve got tents and are blocking the entrance to the factory, we’ve been here since the early hours of this morning.

| Photo: Animal Rebellion

“We’re planning on being here for quite a while. Our plan is to disrupt the McDonald’s supply chain for as long as we can, to send the message about being plant-based.

“We’re asking McDonald’s to make a commitment to being plant-based by 2025. We’ll do anything to get our message across.”

“We need to reduce our consumption of animal products quite drastically. McDonald’s is a symbol of of a massive industry and they have the power to make the transition and lead the way.”

| Photo: Animal Rebellion

The campaigners have huge bamboo structures they have climbed up and are using to blockade the factory. The complex structures were assembled elsewhere before being transported to the site overnight.

“We’ve had a few conversations with workers from the factory, one of the workers asked us to stay here as long we could,” said Harley.

And Harley said passers-by had been supportive of their action too.

She told The Lincolnite: “Our real demand is to McDonald’s, but we would like to talk to the people who run this factory as well.”

| Photo: Animal Rebellion

A Humberside Police spokesperson said: “Officers from Humberside Police are currently deployed at a food distribution centre on Luneburg Way in Scunthorpe following reports of a demonstration of around 50 people at the entrance to a food distribution centre.

“Officers are in attendance in order to allow people to go about their lawful business and to protect the right of individuals to take part and exercise their right to peaceful protest.

“The roads in and around the industrial estate remain unaffected as the demonstration is at the entrance to one premise.

“We are liaising with representatives from all sides to address concerns. We are committed to fulfilling our duty to protect the human rights of all the groups and individuals with an interest in this situation.”

| Photo: Animal Rebellion

| Photo: Animal Rebellion

| Photo: Animal Rebellion

We have contacted McDonald’s and OSI Food Solutions for a comment.