Saturday 2nd October 2010
National March for Farmed Animals
Today was “World Day for Farmed Animals” and was marked with a protest march through central London. It was organised by the “Animal Rights Coalition”, which is made up of various grassroots groups campaigning against animal cruelty in all its forms. The main focus was the inhumane practices of the farming and food industry.
The march began with a rally in Cavendish Square where the crowd heard speeches from various
movement leaders.
Writer and animal rights activist, Juliet Gellatley, who in 1994 founded “Viva!” said in her address
“If one person is unkind to an animal it is considered cruelty, but when a lot of people are unkind to animals, especially in the name of profit, the cruelty is condoned and, once large sums of money are involved, will be defended to the last by otherwise intelligent people”.
Another well known activist, Andrew Tyler, Director of Animal Aid, explained the health and environmental issues with eating animal produce and went on to say,
“My own argument against meat and milk and eggs and fish and all the other animal products does not rest on questions of human health or the state of the environment. It arises from the knowledge of the vile cruelty that is integral to the production of animal products. Which over the years I have seen a great deal of.”
To conclude the rally, Richard Deboo, an independent, spoke of the “Meat Delusion”
“The suffering fear, despair, pain, terror endured experienced by any frog, any cow, any sheep or chicken is just as real as viscerally, dramatically appallingly real as the fear and pain of any human.”
The demonstration was well-attended and vocal. All the protesters were determined to get their message across as the procession wound its way through the very busy consumer heart of the capital.
At various points along the route, the protesters paused at the many outlets of Macdonald’s and Angus Steak Houses to voice their disapproval. The afternoon rain did not dispel their enthusiasm.
This was the first time the UK had joined in on this global event which was started in the US by F.A.R.M, (Farm Animal Rights Movement) in 1986
As it was also the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, Juliet Gellatley, reminded the crowd of his wisdom.
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
Photos by Mario Mitsis
