Animal Rebellion protest in Edinburgh

  • At around midday yesterday, supporters of Animal Rebellion entered Waitrose in Morningside, took milk from the shelves, and emptied it on the floor of the shop.
  • This follows two high-profile milk spills in Fortnum & Mason and Selfridges in London where two individuals were arrested and charged with £100,000 in damages

SIX Animal Rebellion supporters disrupted Waitrose on Morningside Road yesterday as they continue their call for a plant-based future.

Two protesters took bottles of milk from the shelves and emptied them over the store’s floor to highlight the need to support farmers in a transition to a sustainable, plant-based food system. 

Similar actions occurred simultaneously in London, Norwich, Manchester and Leeds.

Hannah, one of the activists, said: “Milk isn’t a viable product, it’s unsuitable for human consumption, it becomes unsuitable as soon as we exploit animals, deforest massive sways of land for unsustainable animal agriculture, polluting our groundwater and contributing more Greenhouse Gas Emissions than Exon, Shell and BP.”

The action comes as part of Animal Rebellion’s demands for a plant-based future, which were announced on 23/05/22.

The animal and climate group is calling for wholesale governmental support for farmers and fishing communities to transition to a plant-based food system and a programme of rewilding that will secure a future for generations to come by drawing down carbon from the atmosphere and restoring vital habitat to native wildlife.

Other recent actions taken by the group include disrupting the Queen’s Jubilee, running onto the track at Epsom Derby, and blockading multiple dairy distribution centres day-after-day at the beginning of September.

Animal Rebellion is a mass movement using nonviolent civil disobedience to call for a just, sustainable plant-based food system.

Ferryhill children put their Thinking Caps on

Exhibition now on display at the Museum of Edinburgh

The Put Your Thinking Cap On Exhibition, a collaboration between youth Samba band Pulse of the Place and Ferryhill Primary School, is now on display at the Museum of Edinburgh.

Inspired by the drumming sessions hosted by Rohan Seilman at Ferryhill Primary School and spurned on by an invitation to perform in a music video for the Edinburgh Festival Carnival, the exhibition shows portraits of students wearing their ‘thinking caps’ that were used at the Pulse of the Place performance. 

The headgear was designed and fashioned by students with guidance and oversight from teacher and art specialist Dr Anke-Beate Stahl. The materials used were papier mâché, paper, wire, straws, pipe cleaners, pompoms, and glue. This provided an opportunity for pupils to express themselves creatively and experiment with different designs.

Many more pupils performed for Pulse of the Place than those whose portraits are displayed at the exhibition and their contribution should also be recognised. The portraits were shot in the school dining hall with this being the first experience of its kind for many students.

Councillor Val Walker, Culture and Communities Convener said: This exhibition represents an important addition to our collection of community-led displays and showcases the innovation and talent of our young people here in Edinburgh.

“I am sure this exhibition will be well-received by visitors to the Museum of Edinburgh. I would like to thank the pupils and teachers of Ferryhill Primary School and Pulse of the Place for undertaking this dynamic project, Councillor for Inverleith Ward, Hal Osler for her brokering and championing of this exhibition and to Museums & Galleries colleagues for their ongoing hard work.

Dr Anke-Beate Stahl, art specialist and teacher at Ferryhill Primary School said: “This exhibition highlights the creativity that our pupils can demonstrate when given the extra time, space, and specialist support.

“Connecting music and visual arts with the bonus of a public display is a great learning experience for the children.”

Inverleith councillor Hal Osler said: “I am so unbelievably proud of the pupils of @Ferryhill_PS who are presently appearing in an exhibition at the Museum of Edinburgh. Thanks to all involved – the exhibition looks fantastic and it’s well worth a view”

The exhibition runs until February 26, 2023 and is located in the community display area of the Museum of Edinburgh on the ground floor.