Vegan activists storm McDonald's wearing PIG and chicken masks before spraying fake blood on the floor and staging a sit-in in front of bemused diners

  • One of the female activists was arrested in the Brighton branch of McDonald's 
  • Eco organisation Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) staged the shocking protest 
  • They wrote on their Facebook page: 'The fake blood I spilt is nothing compared to the real blood McDonald's has spilt' 

By Jaya Narain for MailOnline

Published: | Updated:

A woman was arrested after a group of vegans wearing pig masks and spraying fake blood stormed a branch of McDonald's.

The gang of more than 20 animal rights campaigners marched into a branch of the burger chain in Brighton on Friday evening spraying fake blood on the floors.

Diners looked on as they chanted and held up signs saying: 'Dairy is Scary' and 'Until Every Animal is Free' before staging a sit-in.

A female activist, who sprayed fake blood on the floor of a McDonald's in Brighton before sitting in it while wearing a pig mask, has been arrested

A female activist, who sprayed fake blood on the floor of a McDonald's in Brighton before sitting in it while wearing a pig mask, has been arrested 

The group, Direction Action Everywhere (DxE) staged the protest which saw at least 20 activists wearing animal masks while holding up signs saying 'Dairy is scary' and 'I want to live'

The group, Direction Action Everywhere (DxE) staged the protest which saw at least 20 activists wearing animal masks while holding up signs saying 'Dairy is scary' and 'I want to live' 

Officers from Sussex Police arrived at the branch and arrested the masked woman before carrying her out of the restaurant

Officers from Sussex Police arrived at the branch and arrested the masked woman before carrying her out of the restaurant 

One female protester wearing a pig mask smeared fake blood across the floor before sitting in it.

Officers from Sussex Police arrived at the branch and arrested the masked woman before carrying her from the restaurant and into a waiting police van.

The incident was the latest in a wave of attacks by the same organisation, Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) who have staged protests in Waitrose, Jamie Oliver's restaurant and the Touro steakhouse.

On their Facebook page the group wrote: 'The fake blood I spilt is nothing compared to the real blood McDonald's has spilt.'

The woman appeared to resist arrest and stayed on the ground until she was lifted up by police

The woman appeared to resist arrest and stayed on the ground until she was lifted up by police

On their Facebook page the group wrote: 'The fake blood I spilt is nothing compared to the real blood McDonald's has spilt'

On their Facebook page the group wrote: 'The fake blood I spilt is nothing compared to the real blood McDonald's has spilt'

The group said: 'Direct Action Everywhere is an international animal rights network dedicated to making animal liberation happen in our lifetime by using non-violent direct action to put the issue of animal rights on the table'

The group said: 'Direct Action Everywhere is an international animal rights network dedicated to making animal liberation happen in our lifetime by using non-violent direct action to put the issue of animal rights on the table'

They say: 'Direct Action Everywhere is an international animal rights network dedicated to making animal liberation happen in our lifetime by using non-violent direct action to put the issue of animal rights on the table.

'This is the Brighton chapter of DxE and we aim to empower activists to take strong and confident action wherever animals are being enslaved, killed or exploited, and create a world where animal liberation is a reality.'

While some social media users stand in support of the group's actions, others weren't so impressed. 

One Facebook user, Ian Marshall, said: 'How heroic to frighten children. 

Some social media users stood in support of the group while others blasted the activists for scaring children that could have been in the restaurant

Some social media users stood in support of the group while others blasted the activists for scaring children that could have been in the restaurant

One Facebook user, Ian Marshall, wrote: 'How heroic to frighten children'

One Facebook user, Ian Marshall, wrote: 'How heroic to frighten children'

Another user, Kai Fenn, defended the group's action by saying: 'There were literally babies murdered for those hamburgers. Are you oblivious?'

Another user, Kai Fenn, defended the group's action by saying: 'There were literally babies murdered for those hamburgers. Are you oblivious?'

'You're all c****.'

But another user, Kai Fenn, defended the group's action by saying: 'There were literally babies murdered for those hamburgers. Are you oblivious?'

The group posted a picture of the protest on Twitter and wrote: 'We had our first arrest tonight. 

'We will do what ever it takes to STOP the needless, systematic abuse of animals.'

Last month the group stormed a branch of Greggs in Brighton to protest the sale of meat despite the bakery boasting of huge sales of their vegan sausage rolls

Last month the group stormed a branch of Greggs in Brighton to protest the sale of meat despite the bakery boasting of huge sales of their vegan sausage rolls

The group have also previously stormed a Brighton steakhouse and forced diners to listen to the sounds of animals being slaughtered

The group have also previously stormed a Brighton steakhouse and forced diners to listen to the sounds of animals being slaughtered 

A spokesman for McDonald's said: 'We are supporting the police with their ongoing investigation and apologise to any customers adversely impacted by this incident'

A spokesman for McDonald's said: 'We are supporting the police with their ongoing investigation and apologise to any customers adversely impacted by this incident'

This sparked a reaction from one user who said: 'What did this achieve, other than wasting police resources?' 

Last month the group stormed a branch of Greggs in Brighton to protest the sale of meat despite the bakery boasting of huge sales of their vegan sausage rolls.

Sales at Greggs climbed to an all time high earlier this year after the company announced the meat-free product. 

A spokesman for McDonald's said: 'We can confirm an incident took place in our London Road restaurant last night. 

'Due to the mess and damage caused, the restaurant was closed from 7:30pm whilst the team worked hard to return the restaurant to normal and we reopened at 5am today. 

'We are supporting the police with their ongoing investigation and apologise to any customers adversely impacted by this incident.'

McDonalds

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