GB News presenter Andrew Pierce has criticised animal rights group Animal Rising over their supermarket protest tactics, suggesting they are “alienating” potential supporters.
Andrew challenged Animal Rising’s approach during a discussion about their recent supermarket demonstrations, questioning the effectiveness of their methods.
“Don’t you have to take people with you rather than alienate them like you appear to be doing in that supermarket?” Andrew asked campaign lead Rose Patterson.
The presenter pressed Patterson on the concrete results of their protests, asking: “How many recruits did you get? How many people signed up and said ‘great, I’m going to join your organisation as a result of that protest?'”
Andrew Pierce hit out at Animal Rising’s latest protest in UK supermarkets
The group staged multiple protests at supermarkets across the country, including a controversial demonstration at a Southampton Sainsbury’s.
Footage from the demonstration showed activists forming a blockade by sitting arm-in-arm next to chicken products, prompting heated exchanges with frustrated shoppers.
“Who do you think you are?” one man with a trolley was heard asking the protesters after making several polite requests to pass.
The activists, who were displaying placards criticising the RSPCA Assured scheme, responded by stating: “We’re here to make a protest, to make a point.”
Animal Rising activists were seen forming a blockade by sitting down arm-in-arm next to a selection of chicken products
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Animal Rising’s Campaign Lead Rose Patterson explained their protests targeted multiple supermarkets including Marks and Spencer and Sainsbury’s to highlight concerns about the RSPCA Assured scheme.
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“Our investigations into over 40 RSPCA farms and slaughterhouses earlier last year found that the animals are raised in factory farms and they have terrifying, painful and early deaths,” Patterson told GB News.
She revealed their investigations led to high-profile resignations, including RSPCA President Chris Packham and Vice Presidents Caroline Lucas and Brian May.
Patterson compared the situation to “Cancer Research UK putting their stamp of approval on cigarette packs,” arguing that supermarkets need to examine the validity of such labelling schemes.
She insisted that if supermarkets want to maintain honesty with customers, they must take responsibility for their use of the RSPCA Assured label.
Patterson told GB News that the protests were as a result into an investigation into the RSPCA
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Addressing Andrew’s criticism about alienating the public, Patterson acknowledged their protests can be disruptive but defended their approach.
“By nature, protests are often annoying, and yes, it definitely caused some inconvenience to people in the supermarket,” she said.
However, Patterson maintained these shoppers were precisely their target audience. She pointed to the significant reach of their weekend demonstration, stating: “We’ve had tens of millions of views because of that protest.”
Patterson expressed confidence in their impact, adding: “We have reached the public and we’ve reached a massive audience, and we hope that we’re starting conversations like these all over the country.”