Animal rights protestors stage blockade at McDonald’s UK distribution centres

They are demanding that the chain go "fully plant-based by 2025".

An animal rights group is stopping McDonald's from delivering to its 1,300 UK restaurants by staging blockades at four of their distribution centres. The BBC reports that Animal Rebellion activists are using trucks and bamboo structures to stop lorries leaving depots in Hemel Hempstead, Basingstoke, Coventry and Heywood, Greater Manchester. They are targeting McDonald's for "its role in the climate emergency" and demanding that the fast-food chain go "fully plant-based by 2025." McDonald's UK said that it was "assessing the impact" of the protest on supplies. A spokeswoman said: "Our distribution centres are currently facing disruption. We are assessing the impact on deliveries to our restaurants and to menu items. We apologise to our customers for any disappointment caused." [caption id="attachment_273705" align="alignnone" width="2048"] Photo: Getty[/caption] A spokesman for Animal Rebellion said at a protest in Coventry that the meat and dairy industry was "destroying our planet." James Ozden told the BBC that the industries caused "huge amounts of rainforest deforestation, emitting vast quantities of greenhouse gases and killing billions of animals each year". He continued: "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." [caption id="attachment_273706" align="alignnone" width="2048"] Photo: Getty[/caption] The group has said that they intend to remain at each of the protest sites for 24 hours and are aiming to cause "significant disruption" to the company's restaurants as they try to restock over the weekend. https://twitter.com/RebelsAnimal/status/1395992726655672320 https://twitter.com/RebelsAnimal/status/1395975272076349444 There is a police presence at the depot site in Coventry, with West Midlands Police saying that it recognised the "right to a peaceful protest," but expressed concern over the "significant disruption to business" caused by blocking the only entrance and exit to the distribution site. A spokesman for the force said: "We have asked the small group of activists to remain mindful of road users and in particular emergency vehicles and will continue to maintain an open dialogue with them." Animal Rebellion describes itself as "a mass movement that uses non-violent civil disobedience to bring about a transition to a just and sustainable plant-based food system."