Although the UK has banned the use of fur products for the animal rights, why do citizens come on to the streets to protest against fur?
Anti-fur protesters recently held a demonstration by entering in front of a department store in Cardiff, provoking completely different responses.
An anti-fur protest led by Cardiff Vegan Action took place outside Michael Kors in the city centre on February 25th, which attracted loads of passers-by.
The members of Cardiff Vegan Action were protesting outside Michael Kors.Kajsa Anckarström, one of the main organizers of the protest said, “Some people may say: well, it’s my option to wear fur and I should be allowed to wear fur. And we say to those people that animals don’t have the option of whether their fur gets taken off or not; animals don’t have the option of whether they’re caught or not; they don’t have the option of whether they’re exploited or not. Animals deserve rights and that’s why we’re outside Michael Kors today.
“It is to be the voice of the voiceless and say: look, this ethical fur is not ethical fur; it’s a lie. You shouldn’t be selling it. You shouldn’t be profiting from the exploitation of the misery and the suffering of the innocent living beings. It’s 2017. There’s no need to abuse animals in such a way for profit. And shame on these people! Shame on Michael Kors to continue profiting from such a terrific industry!”
Anti-fur protestors outside #MichaelKors yelling “Shame! Shame on Michael Kors!” #Antifur #AnimalRights pic.twitter.com/wjumCXLDAo
— InterCardiff (@intercardiff) February 25, 2017
In reality, Britain remains absolutely anti-fur. Fur farming has been totally banned in England and Wales since 2000. A survey conducted by the RSPCA in 2011 showed that 95% of British people would say no to real fur. But the “Origin Assured”(OA) program, which was launched in Moscow in 2007 to distinguish between ethical and unethical farming, has been confusing customers about the treatment of animals farmed and killed for their fur. At the same time, it is also a suitable blind for retailers to hide behind when confronting anti-fur protesters.
The protester of Cardiff Vegan Action stood outside the store, holding the banners or videos of fur farms and shouting loudly: “Shame! Shame! Shame on Michael Kors!” At the end of the protest, they went into the store directly and showed their banners to the staff and customers in the store.
The protesters went inside to the Michael Kors shortly after.However, the staff of Michael Kors claimed that they couldn’t give a comment on this anti-fur protest. Some customers visiting the store were disturbed and went outside to the police on the street to complain.
This confrontational action provoked quite different responses from the public. A woman passing by thumbed up to the protesters and said “well done” while a man swore and yelled to them “Shame on you! Not Michael Kors!” There’s even a woman trying to interrupt the protest and showing and touching the fur on her shoes deliberately in front of the public.
This direct and confrontational protesting strategy did receive loads of negative feedback, according to Kajsa Anckarström. However, the Cardiff Vegan Action believes that this is still the most effective way in changing the attitude of the public and their purchasing behaviors.
“We’ll continue the protest outside Michael Kors. We’ll continue the anti-fur protest as long as they continue stocking and profiting from fur. We’re here to demand an end to the fur industry. We’re not going anywhere. We’ll be back. We’re always back,” said Kajsa Anckarström.
For more live videos, please check InterCardiff and Cardiff Vegan Action.