Photos: Chained ‘Monkeys’ Protest Against Forced Monkey Labour, Call on Public to Shun Thai Coconut Milk

Dublin – Today, PETA supporters dressed as chained monkeys gathered outside Fallon & Byrne in a push for shoppers to avoid the retailer’s coconut milk from Thailand. The action follows PETA Asia’s third investigation into the Thai coconut industry, revealing that threatened and endangered monkeys continue to be tied up, beaten, whipped, and forced to pick coconuts under threat of physical violence, despite government officials’ claims that forced monkey labour has ended. PETA is in talks with Fallon & Byrne to ensure that it is free from Thai coconut products.

Photos and video from the action are available here.

“Retailers still selling Thai coconut milk are lagging behind all the companies that refuse to see monkeys tethered and toiling,” says PETA Vice President of Programmes and Operations Elisa Allen. “PETA is calling on festive shoppers to spread a little comfort and joy to monkeys by steering clear of coconut products from Thailand.”

Workers confirmed to PETA Asia’s investigators that monkeys are abducted as babies from their families and forest homes. Their teeth may be pulled out if they try to defend themselves. Investigators found that when the monkeys aren’t being forced to pick coconuts or perform in cruel, circus-style shows for tourists, they’re kept chained by the neck to old tyres and boxes.

PETA Asia’s investigation linked monkey labour to HelloFresh, Chaokoh, Ampol Food, Theppadungporn Coconut Co, Aroy-D, Cocoburi, Tropicana Oil, Thai Pure Coconut Co, Ampawa, Suree, Edward & Sons Trading Co, and many other brands.  

PETA – whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way” – opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk or follow the group on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Contact:

Sascha Camilli +44 (0) 20 7923 6244; [email protected]

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