PETA animal rights activists buried their feet in concrete blocks in front of PepsiCo headquarters, accusing the corporation of buying sugar from farms that “abuse cows.”
On May 6, PETA activists wearing fake cow horns blocked the entrance to PepsiCo headquarters in Purchase, New York, at the time the corporation held its annual shareholders’ meeting.
PETA is one of the world’s largest and most influential animal rights organizations. This organization is famous for many campaigns calling for the protection of animal rights, but faces controversy because of its sometimes extreme and offensive methods.
Video recording of the incident shows a group of protesters stuffing their feet into concrete blocks in the middle of the road, then pouring fake blood on the street, shouting the slogan “Pepsi benefits, cows pay the price!”, blocking vehicles from passing.
PETA activists dipped their feet in cement to protest in front of PepsiCo headquarters in New York, May 6. Video: Freedom News
The group of activists refused to retreat even when police were present at the scene and asked them to end the protest. Firefighters were then dispatched to drill and clear concrete blocks from the protesters’ feet.
Some people were taken to ambulances on stretchers. Six protesters were arrested on charges of destroying property and disrupting order.
The protest was to protest against PepsiCo buying sugar from foreign partners and suppliers that PETA said beat and whipped cows and forced them to pull overloaded sugarcane carts in hot weather.
Firefighters drilled to break concrete blocks from protesters’ feet. Image: NYP
The controversy stems from a shareholder resolution filed by PETA, asking the corporation to release a report stating whether its supply chain complies with its Global Animal Welfare Policy.
PETA presented this resolution at PepsiCo’s annual shareholders’ meeting on May 6. PepsiCo shareholders rejected the resolution, which received only 8.8% of votes in favor.
This organization called the above rate unusually low and announced that it would continue to submit resolutions. Responding to a request for comment, PepsiCo said it “believes in the humane treatment of animals” and aims to meet consumer, customer and stakeholder expectations for high standards in animal welfare.