My heart was pounding as I stood up and walked towards the stage.
The six of us unfurled our banners, as our lead protestor, Sean, interrupted the Co-op CEO's speech.
"In factory farms for the Co-op, chickens are growing so fast, so quickly, that they're suffering terribly.
96% of the membership voted last year for Co-op to improve its animal welfare standards... The chickens deserve better".
As security staff manhandled Sean off stage and we were escorted out, I looked at the hundreds of gathered AGM attendees.
I saw that they were with us. Some clapped us. Others nodded their heads as we walked past. Later, as attendees were leaving the AGM (to be greeted by 30 of us with banners and leaflets outside), one person told us "you don't know just how much support you have in there."
If I were a Co-op boss, I'd have got the message now.
BBC News published an article about our disruption. Tens of thousands saw the video across social media. Chris Packham did interviews about Co-op's cruelty with Sky News and BBC Radio Manchester.
Co-op's 'ethical' reputation is going down the drain.
Now we need your help to drive the message home.
Email Co-op's National Members' Council
The Council is made up of 100 elected representatives from across the country and exists to ensure that Co-op members and customers are heard. We need to show them just how many people are fed up with waiting for Co-op bosses to do the right thing.
Click the button below to write an email to the Council asking them to hold Co-op bosses to account.
Join the phone jam!
Call Co-op customer service to share your support for the protestors and ask them to stop selling Frankenchickens. Here's how:
Call customer services on 0800 0686 727 (lines are open 9am to 5pm). Press '2' when prompted.
Here are some prompts to help guide your conversation:
- Let them know you saw the news of the protest at the Co-op AGM at the weekend.
- Explain why you support the protestors and why Co-op's use of fast-growing Frankenchickens is cruel (e.g. they're bred to grow four times faster than is natural for their bodies).
- If you're a Co-op member or customer, mention this.
- Ask for your complaint to be passed up to senior management - and tell them you expect Co-op to stop selling Frankenchickens before next year’s AGM.
- Please be polite to customer service staff.
Made a call? Brilliant. Let us know by clicking the button below!
Thank you for all you do for animals. I'm so grateful for your support.
Yours,
Laurie Wills, Lead Grassroots Campaign Coordinator at The Humane League UK and Co-op member