Animal Rising
{{Short description|Activist group}}
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| purpose = Animal rights, plant-based food system
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File:Anti-animal farming sticker.jpg disease, Ireland.]]
{{Use British English|date=April 2021}} Animal Rising (formerly Animal Rebellion) is a British animal activist movement with the stated aim of compelling social change towards animal rights and a plant-based food system.[https://www.animalrising.org/our-history "Our History"]. animalrising.org. Retrieved 16 April 2023. They justify their actions with the impact of animal agriculture on climate change, species extinction and ecosystem breakdown.
Animal Rising use civil disobedience methods that have frequently resulted in its members being arrested. Their methods include graffiti, destruction of property, blockading and preventing food distribution, trespassing onto livestock industry premises, and blockading streets. The movement states on its website that it is nonviolent and focuses its actions on systems, not individuals.{{Cite web|title=Strategy – Animal Rebellion|date=31 January 2020 |url=https://animalrebellion.org/about/strategy/|access-date=9 October 2020|language=en-GB}}
The targets of their actions have included dairy and other livestock companies, horse racing courses, the British royal family, government offices, supermarkets, and restaurants.
The organisation was founded in June 2019 as Animal Rebellion, as a sister organisation to Extinction Rebellion, an emerging and headline-making movement at the time. It had 12 founding members, including Daniel Kidby, Dora Hargitai, and Alex Lockwood, and by autumn 2019 grew to a size of 100 organisers.{{Cite news |last=Partos |first=Hannah |date=15 September 2019 |title=How Sunday lunch at nan's led to a vegan's battle against the climate crisis |language=en-GB |work=The Observer |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/sep/15/animal-rebellion-protest-smithfield-veganism |access-date=20 October 2019 |issn=0029-7712}}{{Cite web |title=Alex Lockwood |url=https://www.sunderland.ac.uk/about/staff/journalism-and-pr/alexlockwood/ |access-date=20 October 2019 |website=University of Sunderland |language=en}}
In April 2023, Animal Rebellion changed its name to Animal Rising to take a "firm" step away from the Extinction Rebellion movement and prioritize animal rights issues.[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/grand-national-activists-protesters-aintree-b2320230.html "Grand National 2023: Hundreds of animal activists to disrupt race at Aintree"]. independent.co.uk. Retrieved 16 April 2023.[https://plantbasednews.org/news/activism/animal-rebellion-rebrand-rising/ "Animal Rebellion Moves Away From Extinction Rebellion With New Rebrand"]. plantbasednews.org. Retrieved 16 April 2023. Animal Rising pledged to "take direct action to see an end to animal suffering in all its forms".[https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/apr/15/grand-national-delay-start-animal-rights-protest-extinction-rebellion "More than 100 animal rights activists arrested after Grand National protests"]. theguardian.com. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
Demands
As of early 2023, Animal Rebellion made two demands of the United Kingdom government:{{cite web|url=https://www.plantbasedfuture.animalrebellion.org/plant-based-future|title=Why we're disrupting the supply of dairy: the climate crisis changes everything|access-date=2 April 2023|publisher=Animal Rebellion}}
{{blockquote|
- The UK Government supports farmers and fishing communities to move away from animal farming and fishing as part of an urgent and immediate transition to a plant-based food system
- The UK Government commits to rewild the freed-up land and ocean as part of a broader programme of wildlife restoration and carbon drawdown
}}
Protests
= 2019-20: Extinction Rebellion protests and abattoir blockades =
From 7 October to 19 October 2019, Animal Rebellion organised a wave of civil disobedience in London and Berlin, in parallel to Extinction Rebellion protests. Animal Rebellion protested in front of the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the German Ministry of Food and Agriculture,{{Cite web|url=https://www.rbb24.de/politik/beitrag/2019/10/extinction-rebellion-blockadeaktionen-berlin.html|title=Klimaaktivisten blockieren Potsdamer Platz und Großen Stern|website=www.rbb24.de|language=de|access-date=20 October 2019|archive-date=8 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191008142207/https://www.rbb24.de/politik/beitrag/2019/10/extinction-rebellion-blockadeaktionen-berlin.html|url-status=dead}} at Smithfield meat market,{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-49976197|title=Climate activists blockade Smithfield meat market|last=Francis|first=Sam|date=8 October 2019|work=BBC|access-date=18 October 2019|language=en-GB}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/aug/16/animal-rebellion-extinction-activists-to-blockade-smithfield-meat-market-environment|title=Animal Rebellion activists to blockade UK's biggest meat market|last=Taylor|first=Matthew|date=16 August 2019|work=The Guardian|access-date=18 October 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}} the largest UK meat market, and Billingsgate Fish Market,{{Cite news|date=12 October 2019|title=Arrests after fish market protests|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-50027111|access-date=11 July 2020}} and at an abattoir in Farnborough, Hampshire, leading to several dozen arrests for obstruction of traffic and "obstruction or disruption of a person engaged in lawful activity".{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-50085370|title=Three charged over Animal Rebellion abattoir demo|date=17 October 2019|work=BBC|access-date=18 October 2019|language=en-GB}} They reported that the abattoir protest was to highlight the role the farming industry plays in the climate crisis, as well as animal welfare issues and the conditions for abattoir workers.{{Cite news|date=18 October 2019|title=Charges dropped over Animal Rebellion protest|language=en-GB|work=BBC|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-50095034|access-date=20 October 2019}}
In 2020, Animal Rebellion staged protests in the UK, Ireland and the Czech Republic in September. This included the blockade of a pig slaughterhouse near Manchester, England.{{Cite web|last=Chiorando|first=Maria|title=U.K Government Told: 'Stop Ignoring Link Between Animal Farming And Climate Crisis'|url=https://www.plantbasednews.org/news/-u-k-government-stop-ignoring-link-animal-farming-climate-crisis|access-date=2 September 2020|website=Vegan News, Plant Based Living, Food, Health & more|date=September 2020 |language=en}}{{Cite web|date=31 August 2020|title=V úterý začíná rebelie Spolu za život hnutí Animal Rebellion. Uskuteční se hladovky i občanské neposlušnosti {{!}} 31. 8. 2020|url=https://blisty.cz/art/100978-v-utery-zacina-rebelie-spolu-za-zivot-hnuti-animal-rebellion-uskutecni-se-hladovky-i-obcanske-neposlusnosti.html|access-date=2 September 2020|website=Britské listy|language=cs}}{{Cite web|date=7 September 2020|title=Animal activists stage protest at pig processing site|url=https://www.fwi.co.uk/news/animal-activists-stage-protest-at-pig-processing-site|access-date=10 September 2020|website=Farmers Weekly|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|date=3 September 2020|title=Extinction Rebellion: More than 300 arrested at London climate protests|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-54021889|access-date=10 September 2020}}{{cite news |title='Animal Rebellion' stage a 'rooftop protest' at the Department of Agriculture |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/climate-change/animal-rebellion-stage-a-rooftop-protest-at-the-department-of-agriculture-1.4354819 |access-date=16 September 2020 |work=Irish Times}}{{cite news |last1=Crosson |first1=Kayle |title=Affiliated Extinction Rebellion group call for a radical change to agriculture |url=https://greennews.ie/extinction-rebellion-farming-protest-sept-2020/ |access-date=16 September 2020 |work=Green News Ireland |publisher=GreenNews.ie |date=14 September 2020}}
In London, they vandalised the Trafalgar Square fountain by dying the water red, resulting in two arrests and a bill for the council to clean the water. This was to protest the use of crown lands for hunting and animal agriculture, as well as the Queen's attempts to have her land exempted from an initiative to cut carbon emissions.{{Cite news|date=11 July 2020|title=Trafalgar Square fountains: Two arrested over red dye protest|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-53377221|access-date=9 October 2020}}
In October, Animal Rebellion protested in Berlin (Germany) and Auckland (New Zealand).{{Cite web|title=Klimaaktivisten blockieren Potsdamer Platz und Großen Stern|url=https://www.rbb24.de/politik/beitrag/2019/10/extinction-rebellion-blockadeaktionen-berlin.html|access-date=9 October 2020|website=www.rbb24.de|language=de|archive-date=8 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191008142207/https://www.rbb24.de/politik/beitrag/2019/10/extinction-rebellion-blockadeaktionen-berlin.html|url-status=dead}}{{Cite news|title=Vegan activists protest outside Fonterra headquarters|language=en|work=Newshub|url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/rural/2019/10/vegan-activists-protest-outside-fonterra-headquarters.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200209084342/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/rural/2019/10/vegan-activists-protest-outside-fonterra-headquarters.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 9, 2020|access-date=9 October 2020}}
= 2021: Meat and dairy factory blockades =
File:Blockade des Landwirtschaftsministeriums durch Animal Rebellion (50423189552).jpg, Germany in 2020.]]
Animal Rebellion protesters blocked the entrance of a Tnuva dairy logistics centre in Petah Tikva, Israel, in February 2021.{{Cite web|last=Surkes|first=Sue|title=Animal rights activists block logistics center of dairy giant Tnuva|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/animal-rights-activists-block-logistics-center-of-dairy-giant-tnuva/|access-date=8 April 2021|website=The Times of Israel|language=en-US}} Similarly, Animal Rebellion blocked the entrances of four McDonald's UK distribution centres in May 2021, demanding the fast-food chain go entirely plant-based by 2025. An Animal Rebellion spokesperson said that what others call sustainable meat is insufficient to mitigate the climate crisis.{{Cite news|date=22 May 2021|title=McDonald's: Animal rights group blockades depots, activists say|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-57210428|access-date=24 May 2021}}{{Cite web|date=22 May 2021|title=UK animal rights group blockades four McDonald's depots|url=http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/may/22/animal-rights-protesters-blockade-four-mcdonalds-distribution-centres-in-uk|access-date=24 May 2021|website=The Guardian|language=en|quote=An Animal Rebellion spokesperson, James Ozden, said the action was aimed at calling out the animal agriculture industry for its part in the global climate crisis. “The meat and dairy industry is destroying our planet: causing huge amounts of rainforest deforestation, emitting immense quantities of greenhouse gases and killing billions of animals each year,” he said. “The only sustainable and realistic way to feed 10 billion people is with a plant-based food system. Organic, free-range and ‘sustainable’ animal-based options simply aren’t good enough.”}}
Continuing their attack on McDonald's, the group blocked the entrance to the OSI Food Solutions factory in Scunthorpe, England in July 2021.{{Cite news|date=15 July 2021|title=McDonald's blockade: Animal Rebellion protest at burger factory|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-humber-57825518|access-date=15 July 2021}} The factory is the "only UK factory that makes McDonald’s burgers", Animal Rebellion stated.{{Cite web|title=Protesters blockade 'only factory in the UK that produces burgers for McDonald's'|url=https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/protesters-blockade-only-factory-in-the-uk-that-produces-burgers-for-mcdonalds/|access-date=15 July 2021|website=LBC|language=en}} Like the protest in May, they demanded the chain change their menu to entirely plant-based food by 2025.
On 28 August 2021, they coordinated a protest with Camp Beagle at Smithfield Market in London.{{Cite news|last=Phillips|first=Alexa|date=28 August 2021|title=Animal Rebellion: Hundreds of animal rights protesters linked to Extinction Rebellion stop traffic in London|work=Sky News|url=https://news.sky.com/story/animal-rebellion-hundreds-of-animal-rights-protesters-linked-to-extinction-rebellion-stop-traffic-in-london-12393173|access-date=12 October 2021}} During that month, they also held a "McSitin" at Leicester Square, dyed the fountain in front of Buckingham Palace red and blocked the trucks of Arla's biggest UK dairy processing plant which is in Aylesbury.
During the annual UN Climate Change conference COP26 in October 2021, Animal Rebellion protesters climbed the Home Office building.{{Cite web|title=COP26: Animal Rebellion protesters climb Defra and Home Office building with message for world leaders|url=https://news.sky.com/story/police-on-scene-as-animal-rebellion-protesters-climb-home-office-building-with-cop26-message-12444762|access-date=26 October 2021|website=Sky News|language=en}}
= 2022: Dairy dumping =
On 2 June 2022, Animal Rebellion in London disrupted the trooping the colour parade, running into the Mall and throwing themselves in front of the procession, in a renewed protest against the royal family's support of animal agriculture.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jun/02/animal-rebellion-activists-arrested-disrupting-platinum-jubilee-event-mall|title =Animal Rebellion activists arrested after disrupting platinum jubilee event on Mall|newspaper =The Guardian |author =Matthew Weaver|date =2 June 2022}} Two days later, six female protesters ran onto the course of the Epsom Derby horse race before its start. The action was on the anniversary of Emily Davison's famous suffragette protest at the same derby 109 years earlier. In both cases, the activists were removed by police officers and were arrested.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/04/animal-rebellion-protesters-run-on-to-track-before-epsom-derby|title =Animal Rebellion protesters run on to track before Epsom Derby|newspaper =The Guardian |author =PA Media|date =4 June 2022}}
On 8 August 2022, the protesters stormed the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), and occupied the national headquarters. They refused to leave the building, blocking the front doors and hosting impromptu workshops until the RSPCA agreed to declare its support for transitioning to a fully plant-based food system.{{Cite web |date=2022-08-08 |title=Animal Rebellion Occupies RSPCA HQ – Animal Rebellion |url=https://animalrebellion.org/animal-rebellion-occupies-rspca-hq-entrance/ |access-date=24 August 2022|language=en-GB}}
In June 2022, a group of protesters stormed Harrods and another store in London. They took cartons of milk and emptied them in the stores.{{cite web | url=https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/anti-dairy-activists-pour-milk-on-harrods-floor-after-occupying-waitrose-cheese/ | title=Anti-dairy activists pour milk on Harrods floor after 'occupying' Waitrose cheese aisle }} In early September 2022, Animal Rebellion declared it would disrupt dairy supplies during September. On 3 September, activists blocked access to milk at supermarkets in four cities. On 4 September, activists disrupted fresh milk supplies at four Müller and Arla distribution centres.{{Cite web |date=2 September 2022|title=Animal Rebellion activists vow to disrupt UK milk supplies |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/02/animal-rebellion-activists-vow-disrupt-uk-milk-supplies |access-date=2022-09-06 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Animal Rebellion activists block access to milk at supermarkets across the country |url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/animal-rebellion-protest-whole-foods-marks-spencer-165055473.html |access-date=6 September 2022|website=Yahoo News UK |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |date=4 September 2022|title=Animal Rebellion activists stop milk supply in parts of England |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/04/animal-rebellion-activists-stop-milk-supply-parts-england |access-date=6 September 2022|website=the Guardian |language=en}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/news/milk-waitrose-harrods-protest-animal-rebellion-b2203762.html|title=Animal Rebellion protesters pour milk onto shop floors in coordinated protest|work=The Independent}} In mid-October 2022, activists from Animal Rebellion held protests by pouring milk on the floor in various stores and supermarkets across Britain, including Harrods, Marks and Spencer, Waitrose and Fortnum & Mason.{{Cite web |date=16 October 2022 |title="The world's best scientists are calling for transition to plant-based food" Protesters pour milk in shops across UK |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/animal-rebellion-protesters-pour-milk-in-shops-across-uk-3881566 |access-date=16 October 2022 |website=www.scotsman.com |language=en}}
In November 2022, Animal Rebellion members joined Just Stop Oil in a protest on the M25 motorway in the UK.{{Cite web |title=Animal Rebellion activist joins Just Stop Oil in protest on M25 gantry |url=https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/animal-rebellion-activist-joins-just-stop-oil-in-protest-on-m25-gantry/ar-AA13UPEG |access-date=9 November 2022|website=MSN |language=en-GB}}
Also in November 2022, they occupied Gordon Ramsay's three-star Michelin restaurant in Chelsea, London.{{cite web|access-date=20 November 2022|title=Gordon Ramsay's three-star Michelin restaurant occupied by activists|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/gordon-ramsay-restaurant-animal-activists-b2228893.html|date=19 November 2022|website=The Independent}}{{cite web|access-date=20 November 2022|title=Animal Rebellion occupies Gordon Ramsay's three-star Michelin restaurant|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/nov/19/animal-rebellion-occupies-gordon-ramsays-three-michelin-star-restaurant|date=19 November 2022|website=The Guardian}}
=2023-24: Attempted horse race blockades and halt on direct action=
On 14 February 2023, Animal Rebellion blocked London's Westminster Bridge in a Valentine's Day protest. This led to the arrest of five Animal Rebellion protesters. One additional person was arrested for bodily assaulting the protesters.{{Cite web |last=Chantler-Hicks |first=Lydia |date=2023-02-14 |title=Animal Rebellion activists block Westminster Bridge in Valentine's Day protest |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/animal-rebellion-activists-block-westminster-bridge-valentine-s-day-protest-b1060166.html |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Evening Standard |language=en}}
In early April 2023, it was revealed that Animal Rebellion planned to disrupt the 2023 Grand National horse race at Aintree Racecourse.{{Cite news |last=Wood |first=Greg |date=2023-04-02 |title='You're doing the right thing': climate activists plan to disrupt Grand National |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/apr/02/climate-activists-grand-national-animal-rebellion-horse-racing |access-date=2023-04-24 |issn=0261-3077}} Animal Rebellion then renamed itself Animal Rising. On April 15, Animal Rising blocked the Grand National at Aintree. They delayed the race by 15 minutes, leading to the arrest of 118 activists for delaying the race and for public order offences. A spokesman for Aintree Racecourse stated that "their actions could endanger the horses they purport to protect, as well as jockeys, officials and themselves".[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/racing/2023/04/15/grand-national-arrest-protests-animal-rising-latest-police/ "Grand National defies animal rights saboteurs"]. telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
The next day, trainer Sandy Thomson told the BBC that the 14-minute delay caused by protesters was to blame for the death of racehorse Hill Sixteen. However, the British Horseracing Authority, which condemned the protests, could not find a "direct parallel" between the delay caused by the protests and Hill Sixteen's death. Animal Rising spokesman Ben Newman argued that the protests were meant to stop the race to prevent the deaths of horses, and to start a dialogue about our broken relationship with animals. He also stated that the public does not blame the group for the horse's death. Following Hill Sixteen's death, the RSPCA called for reforming the size of the field, noting that only 17 of the 39 horses completed the race that day.{{cite news |last= |first= |date=17 April 2023|title=Grand National 2023: Trainer blames delays caused by protesters for horse death|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/horse-racing/65296693|work=BBC |location= |access-date=20 April 2023}}
Animal Rising stated they planned to target other major horse racing events.[https://www.itv.com/news/2023-04-17/three-more-horses-die-at-the-grand-national-what-happens-next "Three more horses die at the Grand National – what happens next?"]. itv.com. Retrieved 17 April 2023. The group attempted to disrupt that year's Epsom Derby but failed, with only a single individual making it onto the track before being removed without impacting the races.{{Cite news |last=Glendenning |first=Barry |date=2023-06-03 |title=Derby disruption fears averted but tension lingers beyond the track |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2023/jun/03/derby-proceeds-as-normal-without-significant-disruption |access-date=2024-04-04 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} Plans to disrupt the Royal Ascot were abandoned by the group.{{Cite news |last=Wood |first=Greg |last2=Wood |first2=Exclusive by Greg |date=2024-04-04 |title=‘We won’t be there’: Animal Rising will not protest at Grand National this year |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/apr/04/we-wont-be-there-animal-rising-will-not-protest-at-grand-national-this-year |access-date=2024-04-04 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}
In April 2024, the group stated it wouldn't attempt to disrupt the 2024 Grand National, and that it would be indefinitely suspending similar actions.{{Cite news |last=Wood |first=Greg |last2=Wood |first2=Exclusive by Greg |date=2024-04-04 |title=‘We won’t be there’: Animal Rising will not protest at Grand National this year |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/apr/04/we-wont-be-there-animal-rising-will-not-protest-at-grand-national-this-year |access-date=2024-04-04 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}
In June 2024, protestors attached posters depicting Wallace, of Wallace and Gromit, with a caption, to the glass case of a recently-unveiled portrait of King Charles III in protest against the conditions in "assured farms" accredited by the RSPCA, of which the King is a patron.{{cite news |last1=Coughlan |first1=Sean |title=Animal-rights protesters attack portrait of King |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cydd9ye77rmo |access-date=17 June 2024 |work=BBC |date=11 June 2024 |archive-date=11 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240611142418/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cydd9ye77rmo |url-status=live }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://www.animalrising.org}}
{{Animal rights|state=uncollapsed|movement}}
Category:2019 establishments in the United Kingdom
Category:British animal rights organizations
Category:Civil disobedience in the United Kingdom
Category:Environmental organisations based in the United Kingdom
Category:Organisations based in London