'Animal Rebellion' Activists Scale UK Gov't Building to Unfurl Massive Pro-Vegan Banner

The United Kingdom has joined many other nations across the globe in setting a goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions before 2050. Such climate ambitions, among other things, envisage reducing the consumption of meat and dairy, which Britain seems willing to do - but the pace of that change is seen by some as not fast enough.

The headquarters of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in Westminsterhave been scaled by protesters from Animal Rebellion - an organisation fighting for animal rights and who promote a plant-based food system.

The activists appear to be demanding that the UK government stop funding the meat industry and pour money into alternative food systems instead.

"The protesters have said that they will take action until the government defunds meat and subsidises a plant-based transition", the group said on Twitter, having shared a picture showing the demonstrators scaling the DEFRA building.

UK media reports estimated that the protesters have been on the building since early Tuesday morning, with police and firefighters just "standing and watching" as the demonstrators unfolded a large banner that said "COP26: Invest in a plant-based future".

BREAKING: Animal Rebellion protestors have scaled DEFRA, demanding government support for a plant-based food system at COP26. The protestors have said that they will take action until the government defunds meat and subsidises a plant-based transition. pic.twitter.com/ycmDSLt12U

— Animal Rebellion (@RebelsAnimal) October 26, 2021

V
Now eco mob scale the HOME OFFICE: Animal rights protestors climb government building in London where Defra is also based, demanding switch to plant-based diets ahead of COP26
======https://t.co/I6Okin04dW pic.twitter.com/owh94C9VcX

— Επικαιρότητα - V - News (@triantafyllidi2) October 26, 2021

The action has drawn the attention of several government officials, who shared their thoughts and concerns with the Daily Mail.

"I've never seen anything like it. Just because they have a banner saying 'Go Vegan' doesn't mean they don't have malicious intent", one unnamed official told the outlet.

Another voiced the same sentiment, adding that it is unclear how "gluing themselves to an empty building responsible for policing and national security is going to make their case for the world to become vegan".

Animal Rebellion activists hang a banner from the side of the Home Office building, in London, Britain October 26, 2021

© REUTERS / HENRY NICHOLLS

One of the activists who mounted the building, identified in the media as James, said that he does not see the action as a "public nuisance", rather slamming the British government as such for "spending £1.5 billion of taxpayer money on subsidies on the meat and dairy industry".

"We've been waiting for a change on climate change in the UK for decades now, and it's still not coming fast enough. We're prepared to stay here", he told GB News.

He revealed to the Daily Mail that the four activists who climbed the government building were experienced rock climbers who had the equipment and skills necessary to ensure their safety during the endeavour. However, James acknowledged that "the only way the police will be able to move us is by bringing in a hoist and taking us down", admitting that they "fully expect to be arrested".

The scaling of the government building shared by DEFRA and the Home Office comes ahead of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP26, from 31 October to 12 November in Glasgow. The conference will mark the third meeting of the parties to the Paris Agreement - a climate change accord that envisages the signatories committing to reduce their carbon emissions with the goal of eventually reaching net-zero emissions.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has touted the "most ambitious target to cut emissions in the world", recently made headlines after suggesting that "we could feed some humans to the animals" in order to "rewild" the country, leaving many people guessing as to whether he was joking or not.