VICTORY: Next One Leather Go Fur-Free

Today, campaigners turned up at the Next One Leather store in Leeds to continue the spree of regular demonstrations outside the shop and to protest their sale of fur.

After holding posters and handing out leaflets, security staff arrived to kick the protest outside, however the owner of Next One Leather invited campaigners into the shop to discuss their concerns about the sale of real fur.

The store was completely fur-free and they were reassured that real fur would not be stocked ever again and a statement to confirm so will follow suite.

This is a great victory for our campaign against the sale of real fur in the West Yorkshire area and would like to thank everybody who contacted Next One Leather and attended peaceful protests there.

As a result of all fur being removed, we will be calling off the day of action planned for Saturday and are asking for all contact with the shop to cease. We also ask that campaigners no longer contact those companies associated with N.O.L.

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THE BRITISH FUR TRADE ASSOCIATION (BFTA) is an apologist group, trying to defend the sale of real fur and represent those companies who continue to sell produce of animal cruelty. Please politely contact them in complaint of what they do:

Brookstone House,
6 Elthorne Road
London,
N19 4AG
Tel: 020 7281 9299

Third Demo This Week for Next One Leather

Seven activists today held a demonstration at Next One Leather and their backers for the third time this week.

RBS-NATWEST
First of all we visited their bankers, RBS-Natwest and held banners outside. Leaflets were given to members of the public and support was received, a number of customers saying they were sickened that their bank was supporting such pointless cruelty.

NEXT ONE LEATHER
Once again, we gained access to the top floor where the shop is based and held banners outside denouncing their involvement in the fur trade and condemning their continued support of animal abuse. Chants about NOL and the fur trade echoed around the area, once again with support from local businesses. The owner, obviously not happy with the amount of opposition to his sick trade, decided to violently grab posters from activists’ hands and rip them up! What do you have to hide?!

Security staff arrived and began physically pushing protesters down the escalator and even punched one, however we kept up the chanting and got support from more shoppers in the area. Once outside the centre, the security staff (also commenting “Why don’t you just give up, it’s the third time this week?”) decided to blockade the entrance to the centre. The megaphone was put to good use and, even though we were outside the noise echoed around inside with a number of shoppers looking on – the security’s response was to try and grab the megaphone!

The message was left loud and clear – we will not stop until the fur goes!

Back at Next One Leather

Today, activists again visited Next One Leather because of their continued sale of real fur products.

Once inside the shopping centre (right past the security on the first floor!) activists headed up to the top floor where the N.O.L. shop is based and unfurled a large banner reading “Fur is Dead”. Chants of “Fur Trade, Death Trade” echoed around and placards were also held depicting the reality of real fur. Support was received from those at nearby shops and, once again, Next One Leather had no customers present.

Shortly after, security staff arrived and drew even more attention to the peaceful protest, grabbing banners and attempting to shut us up. Why put so much effort into defending a poxy company who can barely even afford to pay their rent?! More security staff arrived and forcibly escorted placard holding and chanting campaigners out of the centre, again drawing more attention to our cause and the plight of animals at the hands of Next One Leather and the fur trade. Whilst escorting an activists out, one notably grumpy guard commented “You’re not achieving anything you know.” That’s right, we’re not achieving anything – explains why five local stores have dropped fur in the past fortnight and Next One Leather are the only one left in the county!

We will continue our campaign against NOL until all fur is dropped from sale. Their backers can escort us out, but this is nothing compared to what animals are going through to make the products they try so hard to justify and defend.

Next One Leather Campaign Kicks Off

NEXT ONE LEATHER
Today, to kick off the new campaign to stop Next One Leather stocking real fur, activists held a noisy demonstration at their shop in the Leeds Shopping Plaza. Upon arriving at the top floor, a banner was held across the front of the store and activists shouted about what NOL were involved in. The owner immediately called security through their direct line, however when they arrived the shouting continued despite them trying to pull the banner off protesters. Activists were then pushed down the escalator, followed by one guard and, whilst they were distracted, campaigners ran back up the other escalator much to the panic of the guards. A scene was most certainly created, drawing attention to Next One Leather and their dirty dealings in animal cruelty.

ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND
Next we payed a visit to the Royal Bank of Scotland’s Yorkshire offices, RBS are a key supplier to Next One Leather by offering banking facilities. A banner was held outside and the megaphone was used to great effect, letting everybody around know that RBS were backing the fur trade. One of the main managers came out and talked to activists and phoned through to the Head Office to let them know we were there and why. As staff left, they were given leaflets detailing RBS’ involvement in animal cruelty and many were supportive despite them being told not to take any information!

This is just our first of many protests against both Next One Leather, RBS and any other company who prop up the fur trade, we will most certainly be holding more demo’s this week until NOL make the ethical decision and remove all fur from sale.

*** CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED ***

Following the success of our ‘It’s a Knock Out’ campaign to stop shops selling real fur in West Yorkshire, 5 companies removed all real fur from sale leaving only one left. As a result, we have launched a new campaign specifically aimed at stopping Next One Leather selling real fur.

Next One Leather has been protested against over the past four years, however these have not been regular or focused. This campaign aims to hold regular demonstrations against Next One Leather and those who are keeping them in business, until all fur is permanently removed from the store. In the past, shops who have not ceased to stock real fur have been campaigned against until they lose so much custom they are forced to close down (for example Wampum, Seasons Boutique and more) and this is most certainly the case with NOL.