Protest with force over 'cruel' pate

Sep 25 2007 By Will Oliphant, Birmingham Mail

SHOCKED shoppers stopped and stared as animal rights activists "force fed" a woman outside the Bullring.

The protest was aimed at Selfridges' sale of pate de foie gras considered cruel by many people because it involves force feeding ducks and geese to enlarge their livers.

Activist Claire Williams, dressed in evening wear and wearing gory fake blood makeup, was tied to a chair while fellow protester Kevin White, dressed as a waiter, put a tube in her mouth and pretended to force feed her grain.

Noemie Ventura, leader of Peta's campaign against the sale of foie gras, said: "We've shown Selfridges videos of the cruel practice of force feeding these birds, but despite this they haven't stopped selling it."

All the major supermarket chains have already banned the product as well as House of Fraser.

A Selfridges spokeswoman said: "We've been made aware by Peta that we were going to be subject to their campaign. Our position is clear. We will continue to sell foie gras. "

But the company said that it was planning to sell a new kind of ethical foie gras from December.

Charles Jordan, 58, a retired teacher from Northfield, said: "I think they should be taxing the people who can afford to buy this pate. I'm surprised this kind of cruelty to animals is still happening."

Petrine Blake, 27, a law student from Erdington, said: "They sell it for extortionate prices and it's cruel to do something like this just for greedy people, but it's Selfridges' choice if they want to sell it."

Ali Ahmed, 37, a law student from Hodge Hill, said: "It's good that people are taking notice but there are people in Guantanamo Bay who are being force fed as well."