Author: Notts IMC + Led
Pic: nottingham.indymedia.org/system/photo/2...
Tags: animal_liberation climate_action environmentalism work mcdonalds mclibel

The International Day of Action Against McDonalds (16th Oct) was marked by protests against the multinational fast food corporation by protests in Derby and Nottingham. During Saturday lunchtime activists in Derby picketed a city centre branch in protest at its unethical business practices. This was followed by a “mammoth” leaflet distribution on Monday in Nottingham city centre. Activists distributed the very same flyer that led to the infamous McLibel case in the 1980s.

Newswire: IDAAMD Nottingham | IDAAMD Derby

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The protestors said that “McDonald’s symbolises everything that is wrong with the corporate mentality: like all multinationals it is only interested in making profits from whoever and whatever it can.”

“In a capitalist world, rich companies can seem stronger than governments but fundamentally anti-social enterprises like McDonald’s walk a tight rope of marketing, and the propagation of shameful truths can be a potent kryptonite.”

As a result of the famous McLibel trial, it was agreed in a court of law that McDonald’s:

• exploits children with its advertising – luring them with the promise of a toy,
• falsely advertises its food as nutritious, but in reality most of it is processed junk food high in fat, sugar and salt,
• risks the health of its long-term regular customers, as a diet of this type is linked with a greater risk of heart disease, obesity, cancer and diabetes,
• is culpably responsible for cruelty to animals reared for its products,
• is strongly antipathetic to unions and pay its workers low wages.

Links:
Veggies – www.veggies.org.uk
Animal Aid – www.animalaid.org.uk