Photos: Giant ‘Tomato’ and ‘Cucumber’ Sling Vegan Message at Politicians

Photos: Giant ‘Tomato’ and ‘Cucumber’ Sling Vegan Message at Politicians

London – Today, in the midst of the UK’s fruit and vegetable shortage, two PETA supporters dressed as a cucumber and a tomato danced outside 10 Downing Street, urging environment secretary Thérèse Coffey to support British plant-based farmers. Ahead of the cabinet meeting, the colorful duo carried signs reading, “Vegan From My Head Tomatoes” and “Get a Clue-cumber: Support British Growers”.

Images are available here.

“The food shortage has left us in a pickle, but the solution is simple: the government must support UK crop farmers and stop giving subsidies to the clearly failing animal agriculture industry,” says PETA Senior Campaigns Manager Kate Werner. “Making greener choices can help prevent future food shortages, are kinder to animals, and protect the environment.”

Farming animals for food is a sad business. In today’s meat, egg, dairy, and fishing industries, piglets’ tails may be docked without painkillers, chickens’ throats are cut while they’re still conscious, cows are forcibly separated from their beloved calves, and fish are cut open while they’re still alive.

Farmers who switch to growing vegetables, grains, pulses, and fruits not only reduce animal suffering but also help the planet: animal agriculture is a leading cause of environmental destruction, as it requires massive amounts of land, food, energy, and water while emitting huge quantities of greenhouse gases. Researchers at the University of Oxford recently determined that current agricultural systems make it impossible to meet climate commitments even if all other sources of greenhouse gas emissions were eliminated.

PETA – whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat” and which opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview – released a video last year celebrating crop farmers across the country. This month, the group also announced the winners of its first-ever Farming Awards.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk or follow the group on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Contact:

Jennifer White +44 (0) 20 7837 6327; [email protected]

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