In a heated scene, Sainsbury’s shoppers clashed with protesters blocking the meat aisle, highlighting tensions over animal rights and welfare.
Southampton: Last Saturday, chaos erupted in a Sainsbury’s store when shoppers got fed up with animal rights protesters sitting in the meat aisle. The protesters, part of Animal Rising, were trying to make a point about animal welfare.
Footage shows frustrated customers trying to push their trolleys through the blockade. You could hear them shouting things like, “Who do you think you are?” as they tried to get past. It was quite the scene!
One shopper even told the protesters he had asked them nicely to move. But they stood their ground, insisting they were there to raise awareness about the RSPCA Assured scheme, which they claim isn’t doing enough for animal welfare.
Staff and security eventually showed up, but the protesters didn’t budge until the end of the video. Hampshire Police were called but said there were no issues that needed further action.
Animal Rising later took to social media, saying their peaceful protest had gone viral, even catching the attention of some right-wing commentators. They argued that the RSPCA Assured scheme has serious flaws and that farmed animals deserve better protection.
While some shoppers were clearly annoyed, the group believes that many people would be horrified if they knew the truth about the treatment of animals in the scheme. They’re hoping for change in the future, aiming for a better deal for all animals.
