Vegan activists stormed an Australian steak restaurant to 'speak up for animals'

Once-upon-a-time, following a vegan diet was something that required great preparation and an encyclopaedic knowledge of where you could grab a bite to eat that didn’t consist of a single lettuce leaf.

Nowadays, with international brands stocking a huge variety of vegan-friendly goods, it’s entirely possible to enjoy a meal without having to mention the fact you don’t agree with eating animal products.

But 35 activists in Melbourne, Australia, decided to show exactly how much they disagree with an omni diet by storming a steak restaurant.

Activists from Direct Action Everywhere Melbourne and Melbourne Cow Save Animal Liberation Army entered the Rare Steakhouse with loudspeakers and signs to well and truly share their feelings.

When they turned up, at around 6:30pm, they said they were there “to speak up for animals where their dead bodies were being consumed”.

Arryanne McIntosh, venue manager of Rare Steakhouse, said the group had loudspeakers and “were repeating propaganda and stuff relating to consumption of meat.”

“It was hard to communicate with them,” she told Australian media. “I asked who was in charge and one lady said, ‘We all are.’ We were trying to talk to them but they were quite in-your-face with talking and speaking over the top of you — they were very loud, yelling.”

McIntosh and other staff at the venue called the police, who took around 15 minutes to turn up.

She said it was a “very upsetting situation” when customers had come in and spent money, only to have their meal interrupted by protesters.

“You don’t want people yelling in your face,” she said.

The website claims to use choose its meat based on environmental impact and use of sustainable farming products.

Victoria police said there were no arrests and no injuries.

“In order to create change in our society, we must challenge current belief systems and force people to take a side — oppression or justice, cruelty or compassion,” Melbourne Cow Save wrote on Facebook. “There is no humane way to kill someone who does not want to die.”

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