Chicken slaughterhouse blockaded by animal rights activists

According to police, at around 8am Animal Rebellion activists used a lorry to blockade the road leading to the Kedassia abattoir on Smeed Road in Hackney Wick.

Police were called at 8.14am on March 23.

The Met says: "Officers are on scene and dealing."

Activists can be seen climbing on to the empty truck. The blockade began at around 8am on March 23. (Image: Cavalier Fantome)

Some of the protesters have climbed on to the truck, to prevent it from leaving.

The lorry has been draped in a banner, dripping with red paint meant to symbolise blood.

Protester and local resident Bel Jacobs said: “I’m a mother and I know that our kids need a space to learn how to grow vegetables, not kill birds.

"Community gardens would give us a much-needed green space and a social hub where everyone can meet and connect.”

The group is demanding Kedassia Poultry be shut down and replaced by community gardens (Image: @sheepistakingphotos)

Animal Rebellion say the abattoir is the "last remaining slaughterhouse in London".

The action is part of a local campaign, called Gardens not Slaughterhouses, which wants to see the site transformed into community gardens.

The activists have formed a local campaign called Gardens Not Slaughterhouses (Image: @sheepistakingphotos)

Miranda Whelan, a spokesperson for Animal Rebellion, said: “We need to build a just and sustainable future by replacing slaughterhouses, which kill gentle and intelligent animals and damage the environment, with community gardens.

"Gardens improve the wellbeing of the local people and allow them to grow healthy, sustainable food.

"We are demanding that Kedassia shut down and let this land be used for something that will benefit the whole community.”

Police were called to the incident at 8.14 am (Image: Cavalier Fantome)

Kedassia Poultry Ltd is a Kosher chicken abattoir. It was targeted by a group of animal rights activists, calling themselves East London Chicken Save, in 2016,

The animal and climate justice group state their protest aims to end animal suffering as well as to tackle climate change, claiming the Tower Hamlets abattoir kills thousands of chickens every week, produces "large amounts of waste" and that it wastes water.

The group also put up posters as part of the action (Image: @sheepistakingphotos)

The truck has no chickens inside when it was stopped (Image: @sheepistakingphotos)

Those involved said that they waited for the chickens to be taken inside before blockading the entrance, "so as not to prolong their suffering".

The Gazette has attempted to contact Kedassia Poultry Ltd for comment.