SANTA CRUZ (2:30 p.m.) -- At least 4 protestors have been arrested so far -- including 2 handcuffed on the roof of a McDonald's restaurant here -- during a militant protest against McDonald's, part of an estimated 1,000 actions against the burger giant in more than 25 countries.

Bystanders report that protestors were being dragged out of the McDonald's (1421 Mission St.) by their hair, and that police were "banging" the heads of other demonstrators who were on the roof of the restaurant.

Four activists were also arrested earlier today, after being maced, at a Minneapolis McDonald's. This is all part of a "World Day of Action Against McDonald's" in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and many other locations in Asia, Europe and U.S., where nearly 50 McDonald's have been targeted.

McDonald's has been the focus of intense protests by environmentalists and animal rights activists, who say the $30 billion food giant is responsible for feeding people disease-ridden meat, which could be laced with E-Coli, or Mad Cow's Disease.

McDonald's, as the leading fast food enterprise, is also targeted because of its role in the destruction of the world's rainforests, which are being destroyed to make way for grazing land for cattle -- and future Big Macs. McDonald's has admitted to using beef reared on ex-rainforest land, preventing its regeneration. The world's largest user of beef, McDonald's is responsible for huge amounts of methane being released by those cows -- methane that is a major contributor to the 'global warming' crisis.

Contact: Cres 916/452-7179
National: Mike (McLibel) 312/ 282-8236

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