Moment Animal Rebellion eco-mob break into dairy plant and drill into truck tyres

This is the moment an eco-mob broke into a dairy plant and damaged truck tyres before targeting the new Prime Minister in Westminster. 

Footage shows one protestor approaching a heavy goods vehicle and attempting to slash one of the wheels.

In the short clip a couple of stationary trucks can be spotted while eco-zealots wreaked havoc on a UK dairy plant. 

The news comes after police arrested a number of vegan activists today as they targeted Britain’s next Prime Minister Liz Truss. 

Animal Rebellion protestors launched a second day of direct action at Arla and Muller’s processing plants as they drilled through truck tyres and filled pipes with expanding foam on Monday.

Another protest from the offshoot of Extinction Rebellion took place outside the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in Westminster, just hours before the new Tory Party leader was named.

One man was frisked by police before being detained, as four others were pictured sitting in the road opposite Westminster Abbey with signs reading: ‘Plant-based future’.

The vegan activists risked the wrath of the public after promising to continue their disruption until there were ‘supermarket shortages’ amid a cost-of-living crisis. 

Filmmaker Joel Scott-Halkes, 30, from Cornwall said: ‘We are going to continue disrupting the dairy industry for as long as it takes until there are supermarkets shortages.

‘We are going to do this until the Government and the new prime minister meets our demands.’

In a statement released online, an Animal Rebellion spokesperson said they were plunging the dairy giants into chaos ‘in the name of animal and climate justice’.

The vegan protesters, who oppose animal farming, yesterday forced the dairy giants’ trucks to stop before climbing onto them, as others trespassed company facilities to scale milk silos and loading bays. 

The blockade included the UK’s biggest dairy distribution centre near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, which is owned by Arla, plus three plants run by Muller – at Droitwich, Severnside and Bridgwater. 

Five protestors remained on the Bridgwater site as of midday Monday as specialist officer were called into action after the eco-zealots broke into the plant and locked themselves to objects. 

Joel Scott-Halkes, 30, a protester attending the sit-in in London, said today: ‘We are going to continue disrupting the dairy industry for as long as it takes until there are supermarkets shortages.

‘We are going to do this until the Government and the new prime minister meets our demands,’ he added, saying these include ensuring the transition to plant-based farming and rewinding the land that that frees up.’

The protest group, an off-shoot of Extinction Rebellion, admits defying a High Court injunction recently obtained by Arla to stop the protests. 

Thames Valley Police (TVP) last night revealed they had arrested twenty-three protesters at the Arla site. MailOnline has today contacted TVP for comment.

Meanwhile, Gloucestershire Police said they arrested eight people at the Severnside Dairy site and that the plant has remained operational during the protest.

Animal Rebellion said its supporters will continue to take non-violent direct action until the Government supports moves away from animal farming and fishing with a transition to a plant-based system.

The injunction sought by Arla to stop the protests warned that if the action lasts for two weeks ‘it is inevitable there will be milk shortages on supermarket shelves’.

Yesterday Arla said production was running as normal, adding: ‘We have protesters at our Aylesbury site and are working closely with local police to resolve the situation.’ 

And Muller UK & Ireland added: ‘We are disappointed to be targeted by a small number of activists who don’t represent the 96 per cent of adults in Britain who choose milk every week, and we will ensure supplies are maintained.

‘Dairy is affordable and packed with nutrients that benefit our bodies. During a cost of living crisis it is wrong to try to prevent it from reaching families.’

Assistant Chief Constable Dennis Murray on Thames Valley Police, said: ‘The protest caused some disruption to the Arla Foods site and the A41 for a short period of time but has now been safely resolved, with 23 people arrested. 

‘Our response to the protest has reduced our ability to effectively navigate crimes and protect vulnerable individuals across the Thames Valley. 

‘Thames Valley Police respects the right for peaceful protest but will take action when protest activity infringes on others going about their lawful business. 

‘Those who commit crimes while protesting will always be dealt with robustly by Thames Valley Police. 

‘Protestors have now left the site and patrols will continue in the area.’ 

The Arla Aylesbury distribution centre process 10% of the UK’s dairy produce, with all four centres combined distributing around two billion litres of fresh milk every year. 

The group are demanding that the Government ‘rewild the freed-up land and ocean’ and support farmers to move to a plant-based system. 

Animal Rebellion have recently been filmed pouring milk over the Harrods Food Hall floor, which drew strong criticism from social media users, calling the stunt ‘foolish’.

Twitter users pointed out that the protestors – who also staged sit ins at other supermarkets and cleared shelves of milk and dairy products – were only making ‘a mess for the cleaners to clean up’ and making it ‘dangerous for disabled customers’.

One said: ‘You didn’t hurt the dairy industry here, you gave them a large new order.

‘You hurt the workers at the store (who may be punished for the cost of the new order), you hurt poor and food insecure customers, you made it dangerous for disabled customers.

‘What is wrong with you?’

Another said: ‘Why do you clowns always make trouble for the working classes, never your own?’

The group have even been slammed by other vegans, who called their actions at Harrods ‘detrimental’ and ‘hypocritical’. 

One account started the conversation saying: ‘Am I the only vegan who was seriously disturbed rather than impressed by the Harrods milk protest?

Other accounts were quick to voice their agreement, with one saying they ‘didn’t get it’ and it made ‘vegans look like fools’.

Another account said: ‘The mere idea of that protest angers me. It’s hypocritical at best.’