McDonald's Burger Factory Blockaded by Activists

Climate change and animal rights protesters in the U.K. have blocked entry to a factory which makes burgers for McDonald's while demanding the fast-food chain moves to an entirely plant-based menu.

Around 50 activists from the Animal Rebellion group have set up camp and formed a blockade at the OSI Food Solutions factory in Scunthorpe, England, in a bid to cause "massive disruption" to McDonald's supply chain.

OSI Food Solutions states on their website that they are the "exclusive supplier of red meat products" to McDonald's restaurants across the U.K.

Animal Rebellion claims that the factory produces three million beef patties for McDonald's every day.

The protesters set up a blockade using trucks, tents and bamboo structures while calling for others to come to Scunthorpe to stop the factory from distributing burgers and support their calls for McDonald's switch to a fully plant-based food menu by 2025.

The group said they will end the protest if McDonald's makes promises to move to a menu consisting of 20 percent plant-based items within one year.

"More generally, McDonald's represents the broader meat and dairy industry, which we want to see a transition to a plant based food system, which in line with reports and science which shows a need to drastically reduce the amount of meat and dairy we consume in order to reduce the effects of the climate crisis," Harley McDonald-Eckersall, an Animal Rebellion spokesperson who is taking part in the protest, told Newsweek.

"It a specific demand of McDonald's to own up to the responsibility that they have to transition their menu to being plant based in the near future. There is also our broader demand that we need a transition to a plant based food system in order to have a future and have a planet which is habitable for generations to come," McDonald-Eckersall added.

Rose Patterson, a spokesperson for Animal Rebellion, said in a statement: "We're living in a time where massive change is possible, but our window to act on the climate crisis is closing quickly.

"The meat and dairy industries are responsible for 80-90 percent of Amazon deforestation, at least 18 percent of global emissions, and for exploiting and killing billions of animals every year.

"To save ourselves and the future of our children, we must start transitioning towards a plant-based food system."

The protesters said they have not spoken with any of the management of the factory as of Thursday morning, but McDonald-Eckersall claimed a couple of the workers asked them to "stay here as long as we could."

She added: "We've had a few people who've been confused or slightly annoyed at what we're doing, but we've actually had some really good conversations with people who are really open to wanting to talk."

In May, the group blockaded four McDonald's distribution centers across the U.K which they say resulted in food shortages and store closures for the fast food chain.

In a statement to Newsweek, Humberside Police said: "Officers are in attendance in order to allow people to go about their lawful business and to protect the right of individuals to take part and exercise their right to peaceful protest.

"The roads in and around the industrial estate remain unaffected as the demonstration is at the entrance to one premise.

"We are liaising with representatives from all sides to address concerns. We are committed to fulfilling our duty to protect the human rights of all the groups and individuals with an interest in this situation."

McDonald's has been contacted for comment.