Animal Rights Group to Local Business: Post Our Sign or We’ll Keep Up Weekly Protests

This weekend, a small butcher shop in Berkeley posted a confusing sign to customers condemning animal slaughter as “violent and unjust,” a concession made to local animal rights activist group Direct Action Everywhere, who will stop their disruptive demonstrations at the shop in exchange for the sign’s display. Since April, the four-year-old, Oakland-based activist group has held weekly protests in front of The Local Butcher Shop at 1600 Shattuck Avenue during its Sunday evening butcher classes. Eventually, Direct Action Everywhere approached the butcher shop’s owners with a list of demands, and they agreed to display the 15-by-15-inch sign.

“Attention: Animals lives are their right,” it reads. “Killing them is violent and unjust, no matter how it’s done.” In a press release, Direct Action Everywhere adopted a tone of surprise, calling the sign — placed “by [The Local Butcher Shop’s] staff” — “most unexpected.” In fact, the sign was written by Direct Action Everywhere.

Animal Rights Group to Local Business: Post Our Sign or We’ll Keep Up Weekly Protests

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