National Anti Fur March and Rally
Saturday 27th September 2008, London.
Meet 12noon at Belgrave Square, SW1
Following the very successful anti-fur march in London in December last year (see below), we will be marching against fur again on Saturday 27th September. We will be marching around the Knightsbridge area, taking the anti-fur message right to the heart of the UK's fur retail trade. As well as reaching thousands of shoppers and tourists, the march will take us past some of the most notorious retailers and designers of fur, including Gucci, Prada, Escada, Versace, Fendi, Joseph, Armani and Burberry, as well as the notorious Harrods, the only department store in the UK still selling real fur.
More details to come, including a social planned for after the march, but please keep the day free. Please let us know if you're planning to attend, if you need a lift or can offer a lift to fellow protesters, please contact us and we'll put people in touch.
For more details nearer the time keep an eye on this page, or if you have any questions contact london@caft.org.uk or 07899 775493, or 07866 879851
For a report from last year's march see http://www.caft.org.uk/furmarch/index.html
Report from the last march and rally in London, 1 December 2007
Many
thanks and well done to everyone who made the anti-fur march and rally in
London such a big success yesterday, Saturday December 1st. Hundreds of protesters
took the anti-fur message right to the heart of the UK's fur retail trade.
Protesters came from as far afield as Manchester, Leeds, York, Newcastle,
Coventry, Cambridge, Oxford, Norhampton, Devon, Wales and Gloucester to support
the march (sorry if we missed you out, please let us know).
After a rally with speeches in Belgrave Square, the marchers made for an impressive sight, carrying big banners and placards, and accompanied by drums and whistles, and the chant of "Fur Trade Death Trade" echoed around the streets of Knightsbridge. Big crowds of shoppers and tourists gathered to watch as the procession wound its way along Sloane St and Brompton Rd, past some of the most notorious retailers and designers of fur, including Gucci, Prada, Escada, Versace, Fendi, Joseph, Armani and Burberry. Large groups of police stood guard outside the front of each shop on the route which sold fur, making it easy for the protesters to identify the guilty stores.
When we we reached Harrods' huge department store, the sound grew even louder as the marchers chanted "Boycott Harrods" and "Shame on Harrods", and here a big crowd of onlookers stopped their Christmas shopping and sightseeing to watch the demo and take the leaflets. Then the march stopped and the protesters gathered in front of Harrods where the noise suddenly stopped as we observed a minute's silence in memory of the many thousands of fur bearing animals who will die for fashion this year because of Harrods' pro fur policy. It was a powerful moment as the normally busy and hectic A4 main road went quiet, as even the crowds of onlookers kept quiet for the most part and joined in the silence.
It was the biggest and best anti-fur march we've held for many years, and we hope for an even better turnout and event next year.
Here are some pictures of the day
