Extremist vegan groups are getting increasingly bolder in their attempts to force people to stop eating meat.
Following an unlawful assault on a Florida family in which they "liberated" a fish, radical animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere (DAE) has struck again, this time in Berkeley, California. After constantly harassing a mom-and-pop butcher shop in the city for over 3 months, the business has finally caved in and allowed a sign condemning any slaughter of animals to be posted in their shop.
Interestingly, the meat store, known as The Local Butcher Shop, touts its purchasing of animals that are humanely slaughtered as a way to draw in business. However, their hosting of butchery classes on a weekly basis appeared to be too much for the DAE activists too handle. Each time a class was in session, they would show up wrapped up in plastic and coated in fake blood, pretending to be fake cuts of meat that lectured and berated those who simply wanted to learn how to break down meat.
The protests got so loud and obnoxious that neighborhood residents began counter-protesting, mainly because of how tired they were of the disruptive actions. The butcher shop owners eventually had enough, too, and were met with a demand from DAE to convert into a vegan butcher shop if they wanted the disruptions to end. While that initial offer was declined, a deal was reached where the above sign would be posted in the store in exchange for only two annual protests occurring at the store.
While Direct Action Everywhere calls the compromise a "victory," many have already come to the defense of The Local Butcher Shop. Certified Humane cast shame upon the activist group in a statement e-mailed to the Washington Post, and a couple of locals have suggested covering up the sign with "animal-shapeds balloons" as a response to DAE's annoying actions.
For now, it seems like The Local Butcher Shop will have to swallow this bitter pill to maintain the peace. Thankfully, they haven't lost any business as a result of what's been going on at their store, and that trend will hopefully continue.
