The vegan activists who poured milk on the floor in Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason yesterday have been arrested by police.
Hundreds of Animal Rebellion protesters – an offshoot of the Extinction Rebellion group – gathered in London’s Green Park at 11am today.
Before marching through central London, Sofia Fernandes Pontes of Madeira and Steve Bone of Essex, the duo who poured milk over London’s two luxury department stores in a protest against dairy products, were arrested by police.
Members of the environmental protest group then blocked roads and bridges in the capital.
Animal Rebellion confirmed the arrests on their social media page, tweeting: ‘Now it’s happening! As hundreds gather today in London’s Green Park for Charity & Resistance, the 2 milk donors from yesterday’s actions have been tracked down and arrested by the police.’
The vegan activists who poured milk in Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason were arrested by police today
Sofia Fernandes Pontes, one of the protesters, is a psychology student in Islington at London Metropolitan University, where she has been studying since last year, and is also president of the Climate Justice Society at the student union
Before marching through central London, Sofia Fernandes Pontes of Madeira and Steve Bone of Essex, the duo who poured milk over the two luxury London department stores in a protest against dairy products, were arrested by police
Animal Rebellion confirmed the arrests on their social media page, tweeting: ‘Now it’s happening! As hundreds gather today in London’s Green Park for Love & Resistance, the 2 milk donors from yesterday’s actions have been tracked down and arrested by police’
It comes after the animal rights organization claimed that one of the activists was “attacked by a member of the public” during the Selfridges protest, which appeared to be when a man put his arm on Ms Fernandes Pontes’ neck.
The onlooker was seen during the video trying to block Ms Fernandes Pontes as she walked away, grabbing her neck with his outstretched arm. The activists were then escorted to the exit by security personnel.
The protest at Selfridges infuriated onlookers, with one person asking an employee off-camera, ‘Can’t you intervene?’ The employee replied, “That’s not allowed.” Another onlooker said, “F***ing ashamed of yourself.” When the activists finally started to leave the store, the man said, “Yeah, get out, now. B***er out.’
But the Metropolitan Police later confirmed it had made no arrests in relation to either incident after officers were called to both stores following reports of criminal damage. However, investigators said the investigation was continuing.
It is the latest incident in which a fed-up public has intervened in an eco-protest after a series of roadside demonstrations by Just Stop Oil and Insulate Britain caused a furore among motorists over the past year.
Following the protest, the National Farmers’ Union criticized the activists’ actions, with Michael Oakes, chairman of the dairy board, telling MailOnline: “British dairy products, such as milk, cheese and yogurt, are staples of people’s diets in the UK.” whole country. , providing essential nutrition at an affordable price.
Animal Rebellion claimed that one of its activists was ‘attacked by a member of the public’ during a protest at Selfridges in London, which appeared to be when a man put his arm on the neck of Sofia Fernandes Pontes
Animal Rebellion activists pour milk down the red carpet at Fortnum & Mason
The protesters then also staged a demonstration at Selfridges on Oxford Street
“During a cost of living crisis, in which many families are faced with difficult choices between heating and food, farmers have been shocked to see supply chains blocked, disrupted and deliberately wasted in this way.
‘For those thinking about sustainable food, British dairy farming is already a world leader, with our cows grazing outdoors, turning inedible grass into high-quality dairy products, and an ambition to reach net zero by 2040.’
He continued: ‘Our high animal welfare and production standards are recognized around the world and greatly appreciated by the public, who recognize that choosing British means eating climate-friendly food.’
The protests started when a bearded man and a woman in a white dress – later identified by Animal Rebellion as Mr Bone and Mrs Fernandes Pontes – first entered Fortnum & Mason on Piccadilly at 11:45 am.
They removed milk bottles from the shelves and then emptied them over the store’s red carpet before walking out.
Protester Sofia Fernandes Pontes is also an instructor of Zumbini, a music and exercise program for young children, and founded Parezy, an app described as a “virtual one-stop service provider for families with children in the early years.”
The guard removes the Animal Rebellion protesters from the Selfridges store
Shortly afterwards at 12.30pm they were filmed brutally pouring milk over a cheese stand in Selfridges on Oxford Street before being led outside by guards following the intervention of a member of the public.
Ms Fernandes Pontes, a student and mother from the Portuguese island of Madeira, said: ‘I don’t want to see my children grow up in a world surrounded by drought, destruction of nature and food shortages.
“I want them to see a world full of wildlife and beauty. The transition to a plant-based future is simply essential if we want to see a better world for everyone. Supporting farmers to switch to profitable and sustainable crop production is a no-brainer for (Prime Minister) Liz Truss and (Minister of Environment) Ranil Jayawardena.’
Ms Fernandes Pontes is an Islington-based BA psychology student at London Metropolitan University, where she has been studying since last year, and is also chair of the Climate Justice Society at the sorority.
She is also an instructor of Zumbini, a music and exercise program for young children, and founded Parezy, an app described as a “virtual one-stop service provider for families with children in the early years.”
The activists removed milk bottles from the shelves at Fortnum & Mason before emptying them
The duo eventually left Fortnum & Mason after their protest against the milk bottles
Mr Bone, a father and photographer from Thorpe-Le-Soken in Essex, said: “I took action in September to push for a plant-based future, and I am taking action again today because Liz Truss and Ranil Jayawardena are still refusing to listen.
My little girl’s future is at stake and the government’s response is to ignore the advice of Oxford and Harvard and instead choose to drive us all further into the climate, environmental and cost of living crisis. ‘
The group cited a 2018 report from the University of Oxford that said “76 percent of the land currently used for food production would be freed up by a global transition to crop production.”
It also referred to a 2019 Harvard University study on farmland and food production in the UK, which concluded that the UK would be carbon negative if it switched completely to a plant-based food system.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: ‘Officers were called at approximately 12.35pm today, Friday 7 October, and attended reports of criminal damage at a business premises on Oxford Street, W1A. No one was arrested. Investigations continue.
Individual officers visited a business premises in Piccadilly, W1A, just before noon on Friday, October 7, for reports of criminal damage. No one was arrested. The investigations continue.’