Global Boycott Procter & Gamble Day 2008 a MASSIVE Success
Now in its 12th year, Global Boycott P&G Day (Sat. 17th
May) saw record numbers of participants and participating countries
- all with the message 'Boycott P&G - animal testing cruelty!'
There were almost 250 separate
events worldwide. Once again, the UK led the way with over 100 events.
From Cornwall to Aberdeen, there were: displays and petitions in shops,
leafleting in town centres and high streets, campaign stalls, and protests
both outside and inside supermarkets.
We saw more and more giant rabbits and other animals hitting the streets
and supermarkets determined to inform shoppers about the cruel testing
conducted on their smaller relatives. Coupled with some imaginative stunts
and street theatre, our big furry friends drew both the crowds and the
local media.
In addition to the increased participation of the giant animal activists,
more and more groups and individuals took the message directly to shoppers
inside supermarkets - either with unmissable protests, or by filling
trolleys with P&G products, plastering with posters etc. and abandoning
them in a prominent position (Animal Rights Cambridge did this with
several trolleys and then padlocked them together!).
Giant animals, stunts and in-store
supermarket actions were also very
popular across the world. There were over 100 actions in 30 different
countries, including: Ireland, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg,
Spain, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria,
Greece, Russia, Nigeria, South Africa, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand,
Canada, USA, Mexico, Guatemala, Venezuela, Peru, Chile, Columbia, Argentina,
and Brazil.
New Zealand saw an excellent expansion of the Day of Action, with our
friends at SAFE (Save Animals From Exploitation) co-ordinating events
in 8 cities. The protests received national TV and radio coverage on
Saturday night's 'Prime News' as well as Newstalk ZB
radio station. Any media coverage is excellent - reaching tens
of thousands of people. National TV coverage is fantastic - in this case
reaching hundreds of thousands of people with our "Boycott P&G,
shop cruelty-free" message.
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Whilst Sao Paulo, Brazil saw a large march through the
city streets, and P&G's HQ in Caracas, Venezuela, was hit by
another excellent
demo.
Spanish group Equanimal have really stepped up the campaign. Not only
did they hold a protest at P&G's HQ in Madrid, they have also
built a Spanish language website dedicated
to the Boycott P&G Campaign - and are calling on
activists in Spain and beyond to conduct, record and upload videos of
supermarket sweeps.
As of 26th May 2008, they had inspired an amazing 50 sweeps in 27 Spanish
cities and several other countries, including: Romania, Peru, Mexico,
Guatamala, Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina, and Australia. Equanimal are
keeping an on-going record of sweep pictures at: www.flickr.com/photos/equanimal/sets/72157605228593280
Many of the actions described above were covered by regional and national
media. And activists around the world also wrote letters to their newspapers - and
to P&G themselves - about the Day and P&G's cruel animal
testing. Our friends at US group In Defense of Animals (www.pandgkills.com)
mobilised its contacts to write to the press and bombard P&G with
letters, faxes and emails.
