London (Parliament News) – Animal Rising protesters vandalized a portrait of King Charles at a London gallery, replacing his face with Wallace from “Wallace and Gromit,” protesting against RSPCA-assured farms. They demand RSPCA action.
Animal Rising protesters have damaged a new portrait of King Charles at the Philip Mould Gallery in central London. The demonstrators plastered the front of an animated character from Wallace and Gromit in a protest attacking the RSPCA.
Animal Rising disseminated a video of campaigners pasting Wallace’s face over Charles’s and adding an address bubble to the painting by Jonathan Yeo. The speech bubble read in capitals: “No cheese, Gromit. Look at all this cruelty on RSPCA farms!” The painting is on public display at the Philip Mould Gallery in London in Pall Mall, St James’s.
Why Did Animal Rising Target the RSPCA at the Gallery?
Animal Rising represents itself as a non-violent, people-powered organisation operating towards a sustainable future where humanity communicates a positive relationship with animals and nature.
Daniel Juniper, one of those concerned, stated: “With King Charles being such a big fan of Wallace and Gromit, we couldn’t think of a better way to draw his attention to the horrific scenes on RSPCA Assured farms. “Even though we hope this is amusing to His Majesty, we also call on him to seriously reconsider if he wants to be associated with the awful suffering across farms being endorsed by the RSPCA.
“Charles has made it clear he is sensitive to the suffering of animals in UK farms – now is the perfect time for him to step up and call on the RSPCA to drop the Assured scheme and tell the truth about animal farming.”
Are RSPCA-Assured Farms Facing Legitimate Criticism?
The group is seeking to raise awareness for their recent examination into 45 RSPCA Assured farms where they allegedly discovered 280 legal breaches and 94 violations of DEFRA regulations. The activists claim to have discovered animal cruelty and suffering at each farm, including alleged scenes of destroyed and dying baby chickens, dead pigs left in ranch walkways, and salmon being eaten alive by sea lice.
Animal Rising spokesman Orla Coghlan stated: “Just as Feathers McGraw fooled Wallace into a bank heist, the RSPCA has been fooling the British public into believing their factory farms are – in any way – an adequate place for animals to live. It’s clear from the locations across 45 RSPCA Assured farms that there’s no kind way to farm animals.
“The RSPCA needs to take a bolder stance on the transition to a plant-based food system, beginning with calls for drastic meat reduction. The charity can, once again, lead the way for animals in the UK, rather than keeping them in misery.”
Renowned artist Yeo was designated in 2020 to celebrate the then-Prince of Wales’s 50 years as a partner of The Drapers’ Company. The painting shows the royal wearing the uniform of the Welsh Guards, of which he was created Regimental Colonel in 1975.