Once again on Friday (14/12/07), Nottingham Animal Rights were protesting against the cruelty of Foie Gras outside the last few restaurants in Nottingham that persist in serving it. The production of this unhealthy pate made of diseased goose or duck liver, is so barbaric (involving force feeding a factory farmed bird until their liver swells to ten times its natural size) that it has been banned in the UK and most of mainland Europe, however sale of imports is still legal.
Once again the police having only consulted with the restaurant and not spoken to the activists to obtain a more balanced perspective, attempted to suppress the protest, this time by using section 14 of the public order act 1986. Various assembly conditions were imposed by several officers on the scene including a ban on the use of megaphones, and eventually the protesters were told they could only continue their protest from a distance (a little further down and on the opposite side of the road) where they could not talk to customers of the restaurant in question.
The following day (15/12/07) saw further actions as part of a national day of action against Foie Gras.
In Nottingham now only Merchants (part of the Lace Market hotel), French Living and Alea (a casino), have this unpopular item on the menu.