The demonstration, held at an Asda store in Kent, suddenly descended into chaos when the furious man yanked the megaphone from a vegan protester and smashed it into the ground before charging off
This is the dramatic moment an Asda shopper smashed a vegan protester’s megaphone as she stood inside the store trying to stop customers from purchasing Easter lamb.
The demonstration, held at a branch in Canterbury, Kent, suddenly descended into chaos when the furious man yanked the megaphone of protester Ella Wild before smashing it to pieces and charging off. Ms Wild was joined by a small group of campaigners who gathered in the store to educate shoppers on how animals are killed for meat at Easter – encouraging them to think twice about the use of animal products, like dairy and eggs. The group stood by a fridge full of meat and held up screens showing footage of animal slaughter while Ms Wild spoke through the megaphone. Shocking footage captured the moment the man suddenly appeared and snatched away her megaphone mid-speech. Ms Wild was momentarily dragged along the aisle by him until he managed to free the megaphone from her hands and smash it into the ground.
Her fellow protesters then quickly rushed over to help, with one heard shouting at the man: “Hey, what is wrong with you? You’re an idiot!” Soon after, the activists resumed their protesting. The video, posted to Facebook, quickly gained traction with some users slamming the vegan activists for being in the store, while others said the man was a “stereotypical meat headed, meat-eating man-atrocity”.
After the commotion, store staff and security went over to talk to the protesters, while Ms Wild began picking up pieces of her broken megaphone. One protester said: “We have a right to be here”, as the group chatted to Asda staff about contacting the police.
Social media users condemned the man for his violence but said the group should not have been in the store in the first place. One said: “Don’t agree with the man breaking the megaphone… but the staff should have kicked the protesters out because a megaphone in a store about what people eat is just ridiculous.”
Ms Wild replied: “It’s a protest against animal cruelty.” Another user wrote: “Not needed in a store in my eyes. You should have been kicked out the moment you stepped in the store.” Ms Wild responded: “You pay for it, so you should be fine with seeing it…The animals have to live it. If you don’t want to see it, imagine what it’s like for them, and they’re just babies. She added: “We stayed and continued with our protest to raise awareness for the sentient beings harmed for meat, dairy and eggs.”
Others were quick to slam the man who grabbed Ms Wild’s megaphone. One said: “He came in for an extra large tub of margarine and some Kleenex. He stayed for the casual violence.” Another user added: “Big brave bloke goes for girl with megaphone. The standard of what passes for a man these days is just effing pathetic. Whether you agree or disagree with the protest in question, attacking a girl is just the weakest of acts.”
Another said: “Pretty much sums up a stereotypical meat-headed, meat-eating man-atrocity.” Others tried to justify his actions.
One user said: “You’re using a megaphone to cause a loud disturbance in order to ‘raise awareness about animal cruelty’. I’m vegetarian and I am proud to be, that wouldn’t cause me to try and turn others away from their decision.” Another person added: “Causing disruption is not going to help your cause, probably the opposite.” A third said: “I expect it was more about you shouting in his ear with a megaphone, you were less than arm’s length away. You’re silly if you didn’t expect some sort of reaction.”
A Kent Police spokesperson said: “Kent Police was called at 1.46pm on Saturday 19 April to a report of a disturbance involving a small group of people at ASDA on Sturry Road, Canterbury. Officers attended and spoke to those present before the group dispersed. Enquiries to establish the full circumstances are ongoing.”
The Mirror has contacted Asda for comment.
