Multiple arrests after Animal Rebellion blocks dairy sites

Animal Rebellion activists have descended on milk-processing sites in England to block and immobilise trucks and damage equipment as part of ongoing protests against the dairy industry.

Four sites run by Arla and Muller in the Midlands and southern England have been targeted by hundreds of activists, who say they are taking non-violent action to “stop the supply of dairy”.

Both Arla and Muller say production is running as normal.

See also: Animal Rebellion plots major disruption to UK dairy supply

A small number of activists returned to Arla’s Aylesbury site in Buckinghamshire and Muller’s Droitwich (Worcestershire) and Bridgwater (Somerset) sites in the early hours of Monday 5 September.

Animal Rebellion said in a statement that “tyres of trucks were let down and pipes filled with expanding foam”.

This followed disruption on Sunday 4 September, when Muller’s Severnside site in Gloucestershire was also targeted.

The Animal Rebellion statement added: “All of the people who are taking non-violent action are doing so in the name of animal and climate justice to demand that the 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.”

Pictures and footage shared by the campaign group on social media show activists on top of trucks and milk tankers, as well as blocking site entrances.

By lunchtime on Monday 5 September, more than 70 arrests had been made across the sites, including 27 at Aylesbury.

A spokesperson for Arla said a small number of protestors were at the Aylesbury site on Monday morning (5 September), but they were not causing any disruption, and the site was fully operational.

‘Wrong’

Muller said it was wrong for Animal Rebellion to try to prevent milk reaching families during the cost-of-living crisis.

A spokesperson for Muller UK and Ireland said: “Despite some attempts to damage equipment at our dairies, supplies of milk are being maintained due to the hard work and professionalism of our employees. 

 “This small group of activists don’t represent the 96% of adults in Britain who choose milk every week.”

The four distribution centres combined process an estimated 2bn litres of fresh milk each year.

Meanwhile, Twitter user Steve Evans was amused to note that one group of protestors attempting to block a supermarket dairy aisle over the weekend had also blocked access to the plant-based alternatives.

When the extinction crowd forget what they are protesting against and sit in front of the oat juice! pic.twitter.com/2gYEWTGjo7

— Steve Evans (@Evsthetractor) September 3, 2022