Day 002 - 29 Jun 94 - Page 27

     
     1        the McDonald's system has used or does use meat which
              comes from cattle reared in former rainforests".  This was
     2        part of a series of letters to the BBC World Wild Life
              Fund which was basically demanding apologies and
     3        retractions to the World Wild Life Fund.  In 1983 they
              said, "McDonald's worldwide is not involved in any manner
     4        in dealing with rainforests or their removal or in buying
              beef as a result of cattle that have been grazing in areas
     5        that formerly were rainforests".
 
     6        So Veggies were under pressure to change that section, not
              being sure of the case, and given guarantees by McDonald's
     7        which turned out to be lies.  So, apart from that and a
              few additions, I believe the fact sheet -- I think about
     8        one box was removed which was "Getting the Chemistry
              Right" box, if you remember, in the fact sheet about
     9        McDonald's stripey staff uniforms, flashy lighting, bright
              plastic decor, and the chemicals on the lettuce leaf.
    10        That was removed.
 
         So here we have a leaflet which is still being circulated
              to this day, distributed by a group, Veggies, which in
    12        some ways you could say is not an alternative to
              McDonald's.  They are a collective; they do not sell for
    13        profit.  Any surplus they make gets donated to a charity
              for sending food to the Third World in which there was
    14        communication with London Greenpeace.  So, from 1987
              onwards when those minor changes were made, this leaflet
    15        is still being circulated in large numbers -- in fact,
              much greater than London Greenpeace ever did -- so it is
    16        inevitable that in terms of malice, the malice allegations
              of the plaintiffs have absolutely no substance whatsoever,
    17        because by their own actions they have, effectively,
              sanctioned virtually the entire London Greenpeace fact
    18        sheet in their correspondence and dealings and lack of
              legal action against Veggies of Nottingham.
    19
              It is also stated that three supporters of London
    20        Greenpeace that were sued by McDonald's capitulated (which
              was Mr. Rampton's word) and apologised in open court.  In
         fact they did not apologise personally but by solicitors
              on their behalf.  But they have made a statement about
    22        this apology that they made, which I can hand a copy to
              yourself.  This is important in terms of the malice
    23        allegation.  (Handed).
 
    24   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  What is this now?
 
    25   MR. MORRIS:  It is a statement of the three people that were
              served with writs in this action. 
    26 
         MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Are they going to give evidence? 
    27
         MR. MORRIS:  One of them is going to give evidence but it is
    28        relevant.
 
    29   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Let me just read it.
 
    30   MR. RAMPTON:  My Lord, I do not have a copy.  I do not like to
              hand copies of documents to his Lordship if you do not