An estimated 1000 McDonald's restaurants around the world are being targeted for pickets, disruptions, blockades Wednesday, Oct. 16th by environmental, justice, and animal rights groups as part of the 12th annual "World Day of Action Against McDonald's". Oct 16th is also United Nations "World Food Day".

The actions are scheduled in at least 25 countries, including the UK, Australia, Canada, Asia, Brazil, Europe and the U.S. where 30 to 50 actions will take place, including New York, Chicago, San Diego, Portland Oregon, and Los Angeles.

McDonald's has been the focus of intense protest for many reasons:

They are the largest consumer of meat on the planet. They and their advertising campaigns contribute to a meat-craving frenzy which is responsible for turning the rainforests of the planet into grazing land for cattle, which is soon irreversibly degraded by heavy rains and porous soil to become a wasteland.

McDonald's has been Mired in the longest trial in English history in an attempt to silence activists from making any form of criticism. Dave Morris and Helen Steel have had to defend themselves in a London court without a lawyer, something which is almost un-heard of in the UK's old- boy legal system. The pair has held off a team of some of the UK's nastiest and best-paid libel lawyers since 1990. Support Campaigns have sprouted up around the world, and much to McDonald's chagrin, a World Wide Web site on the internet contains 45 mb of "everything they don't want you to know". "What's Wrong With McDonald's" leaflets will be handed out in many of the demonstrations.

The sheer size and the power of their advertising budget aimed at helpless children raises questions of who is bringing up children, parents or McDonald's. The ads represent hamburgers as growing from plants and begging to be picked and eaten.

The food being promoted is itself unhealthy, being loaded with fat, salt and additives. The recent mad-cow scare and it's likely relation to "downer-cows" in North America have many people thinking twice about eating any beef at all.

National Contacts:Mike Durschmid 312-282-8236, David Briars 802-586-9628

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