Group's All-Day Chicago Youth Conference Will End in Action Against Cruel Fast-Food Chain
For Immediate Release:
April 20, 2012
Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382
Chicago -- Led by a "chicken" and armed with a bullhorn, more than 50 young protesters will completely encircle a McDonald's in Lakeview on Saturday. Their reason? To express their outrage that McDonald's suppliers use an archaic method of slaughter that causes terror and agony for millions of chickens every year and McDonald's refuses to do anything about it. The action comes at the end of The peta2 Experience, an all-day youth conference featuring talks by peta2 staff and delicious free vegan food from Chicago's Native Foods Café.
When: Saturday, April 21, 5 p.m.
Where: McDonald's, 2635 N. Clark St. (near the intersection with W. Wrightwood Avenue), Chicago
"These kids refuse to stand by while birds are scalded to death, so when it comes to McDonald's, they're hatin’ it," says peta2 Manager Marta Holmberg. "McDonald's bigwigs could stop the most flagrant abuse that these birds endure, but—so far—they have refused to act."
Chickens raised for McDonald's are killed using an old-fashioned method that causes millions of birds to have their wings broken and throats cut while they're still conscious and many to be scalded to death in defeathering tanks. A less cruel slaughter method—which is already used by McDonald's European suppliers—is available, but the company refuses to require its U.S. suppliers to upgrade to it.