Seven activists today hit the streets to fightback against the attempted return of the fur trade to the city's shops.

BEST VINTAGE
We first started outside Best Vintage, the Leeds store being their main one however they also have 10 shops across the country, including at Portobello Vintage Market in London. After leafleting and chanting outside, and many lost customers, an overkill of police officers turned up, only attracting more attention to our cause.
After around an hour, a representative was asked to speak via telephone to the company owner, who explained the situation and it was agreed that a fur free policy would be issued and campaigners have also offered their help in showing staff what is real fur if any comes in accidentally in future bulk orders from suppliers.

LEEDS KIRKGATE MARKET
After the success at Best Vintage, representatives of WYARG held a meeting with management at Leeds Kirkgate Market about the numerous stores which have begun selling fur items there. It was agreed that all shops would receive letters from the council, who own the market, asking that all fur is permanently removed from sale. We will aslo be pushing for a fur-free policy for all council properties.

TUNNEL
Simultaneously, a demo was being held outside Tunnel. The owner, not being in, claimed to staff over the phone that all fur being sold was fake. Chanting echoed around the arcade and certainly showed Tunnel that we will not tolerate their involvement in animal abuse. Members of the public were extremely supportive, with less than a handful of customers visiting the shop.

NEXT ONE
Last of all was our old friends Next One, based at the Leeds Shopping Plaza. Once getting upstairs, chants begun and posters were waved. The store, meanwhile, closed down the shutters as security staff begun pushing activists down the escalator. Luckily, Next One have opened a new store at the bottom of the escalator and we carried on our protest there. Staff got very aggressive, dragging and pushing peaceful campaigners in a very unacceptable and aggressive manner. After making a massive scene and showing the new management of Next One that fur is not acceptable, nor needed, in this day and age the demo finished.

We thank those who issued fur-free policies and will most certainly be returning regularly to the others who still participate in sickening animal cruelty.