Around 11:00 today (26/6/24) four Animal Rising supporters redecorated Banksy’s “Girl with Balloon” in London and “Kissing Coppers” in Brighton on the protective plexiglass of the artworks, underscoring the RSPCA’s failure to protect animals on farms.
The action has highlighted industry collusion between the RSPCA and McDonald’s, with Animal Rising calling it “absurd” that the RSPCA is approving McDonald’s factory farms.
This is Animal Rising’s second high-profile redecoration of a public artwork after the group affixed a sticker of Wallace onto Charles III’s portrait on 11/6/24 [1].
Following a damning report into RSPCA Assured farms that discovered 280 welfare breaches on more than 40 farms, Animal Rising is calling for the RSPCA to drop the Assured scheme [2].
In a second high-profile art redecoration, Animal Rising supporters have placed stickers over two famous Banksy murals across the South of England. The “lighthearted and comedic” alterations on the plexiglass covering the artwork spotlight the revolving door between McDonald’s and the RSPCA Assured Scheme.
Rose Patterson, Animal Rising Co-Director and Lead Investigator said:
“We’ve spent the past six months investigating the appalling conditions on RSPCA Assured farms and what we found was heartbreaking. This is not one bad apple, the whole barrel is rotten.
The RSPCA has completely lost its values, getting into bed with McDonald's and ignoring its true mission: protecting animals. Today’s actions are a playful way of putting the public’s attention on a very serious issue - the RSPCA is lying to us all. It’s time for them to drop the Assured scheme and start telling the truth about farming animals.”
Kissing Coppers features two figures in an embrace and its redecoration highlights RSPCA rubberstamping McDonald’s suppliers and the revolving door between McDonald’s executives and RSPCA Assured [3]. “Girl with Balloon” encapsulates the RSPCA losing touch with its core values of protecting all animals by working with McDonald’s and assuring factory farms.
No permanent damage has been done to any mural, with the stickers being easily removable from the protective casing around them.
Dan Kidby, Animal Rising Co-Founder and Co-Director said:
“The RSPCA is working hand-in-hand with McDonald’s, assuring factory farms across the UK. The country’s oldest animal charity is putting their rubber stamp on industrial animal suffering and it simply isn’t good enough.
The revolving door between McDonald’s and the RSPCA Assured Scheme is sickening; the two organisations are conspiring to lie to the British public whilst making the lives of millions of animals miserable on factory farms.”
This follows Animal Rising’s nationwide investigation into over 40 RSPCA Assured Farms, finding extreme suffering. Reviewing the investigation findings, Animal Welfare Barrister and Crown Court Judge, Ayesha Smart, reviewed the evidence and called the RSPCA Assured Scheme “effectively fraud”[4], and Chris Packham called on the Scheme to be “immediately suspended” saying he “can’t sleep at night” after seeing what was found[5].
Animal Rising is a social movement to create a new relationship with all beings and give us a chance for a safe ecological future. The group primarily calls for the transition to a secure and sustainable plant-based food system, alongside a mass rewilding programme.
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Notes to Editors:
Further Information on Animal Rising’s Investigations:
Video evidence compiled from farms https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfM5VRMl7wk&t=59s
Expert Quotes from Veterinary experts, legal professionals, and RSPCA President Chris Packham: www.animalrising.org