Animal Rising Campaigners Sentenced as Group Reaffirms Focus on Climate Justice and Food System Change
- Animal Rising Press
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
Three Animal Rising campaigners were sentenced today (25/02/26) at Southwark Crown Court after pleading guilty to “possession of items with intent to damage property” after taking part in Animal Rising’s dairy campaign which targeted Müller, Arla and other dairy suppliers.
The three individuals pleaded guilty in Southwark Crown Court on 13/05/25
They were each given 12 months conditional discharge, £760 contribution towards court costs and a victim surcharge of approximately £150.
The campaigners were arrested on 8th October 2022 on their way to a peaceful march organised by Animal Rising, protesting the environmental impact of the dairy industry and the animal suffering embedded within this system.
The group had mobilised hundreds of supporters to peacefully march through the streets of London, calling for a plant-based food system.
Claudia Penna Rojas, 28, Animal Rising spokesperson, commented:
“Since these arrests, the climate crisis has only intensified and the science shows a rapid shift towards plant-based diets is one of the most powerful ways to cut emissions, restore nature and improve food security.
“We can’t claim to be serious about climate justice while protecting a food system that drives deforestation, biodiversity loss and pollution. Transitioning away from industrial animal agriculture is essential for our future.”
A report released last month by the UK government on global biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and national security made it clear that “food production is the most significant cause of terrestrial biodiversity loss” and that “the UK is unable to be food self-sufficient at present, based on current diets and prices”. [1]
A high-profile study published in Nature Food (2023) found that a global shift towards plant-rich diets could reduce food-related greenhouse gas emissions by up to 50% and significantly reduce agricultural land use, enabling rewilding and carbon sequestration. [2]
A 2023 study by Oxford University also showed that a plant-based diet has the lowest impact on the environment in all areas analysed, including emissions, land-use, water-use and biodiversity loss [3].
ENDS
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About Animal Rising
The group has used a variety of civil disobedience and nonviolent direct action tactics, notably blockading McDonald's distribution centres in May 2021, blockading dairy industry sites in September 2022, rescuing 23 beagle puppies from the animal testing industry in 2022, delaying the Grand National race in 2023, rescuing lambs belonging to King Charles II in May 2023, and carrying out the UK’s largest undercover farm investigation in 2024.
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