Winter 1996/7
[A new press backgrounder updated. A useful guide to the basics behind the case.]
October 1996
Various Indian Publications
The company intends to open another outlet in Delhi in late October. A second outlet in north Bombay is being built.
Calcutta and Madras are the next on McDonald's list.
Trouw (Netherlands)
October 1996
(Picture shows two activists - one dressed as chicken holding placard etc - outside McDonald's store)
Ter ondersrueuning van Englese milieu-activisten werd gisteren in Den Haag een anti-McDonald's demostratie gehouden. In Engeland loopt al enkele jaren een rechszaak die de fastfoodketen heeft aangespannen tegen het duo.
Reuters (Chicago; USA)
November 1996
It was mentioned in Reuter's and thus the Chicago News desk (wire service) about the Bio-Tech boycott on McDonalds fries. Extract as folows:
San Juan, Puerto Rico
October 1996
McDonald's plans to open a store in Puerto Rico have run inot trouble with a group of concerned citizens. Old San Juan, is a 500 years old colonial city sorrounded by a wall and 2
fortresses: Fort San Cristobal and Fort El Morro. Restoration on the old city began about 40 years ago and it is now 'the pride of every Puerto Rican
and visitor'. The 'Historical Zone' has both commerce and a large
community and residential area, composed of all social classes.
Concerned citizens are fearful of the effect McDonald's will have on their city and are organising to oppose whatever plans McDonald's have. Presently, McDonald's hope to open a store at the entrance to the 'Historical Zone'.
East Grinstead, UK
November 1996
The East Grinstead protest has refused to lie down. A lot of people
are getting really worried about the possible complaint to the local
government ombudsman and the possible judicial review. Leading protestors have been
bombarded by calls from district
councillors, county councillors and the county surveyor's office. They
believe that there's enough documentary evidence to challenge the central
and local government guidelines on drive-thrus and the traffic problems they
create. The result could have serious ramifications for drive-thrus throughout the country.
According to local protestors 'McDonald's are really rattled'. David Ward's office (Head of Regional Communications) was contacted to find out whether the sale of the White Lion pub is going ahead, and when McDonald's plan to open the Drive-Thru. Amazingly, David Ward rang back from his mobile and said: "You're one of those London Greenpeace bastards. I don't have any obligation to speak to you."
Blue Mtns Australia
21 November 1996
A group of residents and business people in the Blue Mountains of NSW,
one of Australia's greatest natural wonders and a prime tourist
destination, are waging a battle to convince its local municipal
Council to reject an application for a McDonalds restaurant in
Katoomba, the main town in this area. The Council is afraid that if
they disallow the development, McDonalds will take legal action which
could be enormously costly to the Council and its ratepayers in the
event that the Council loses. Although there is significant
opposition, the lobby group 'Mountains Against McDonalds' (MAM) is
fighting to overcome a degree of local apathy, based on people's
apparent belief that they can't win against the huge McDonalds
machine.
MAM bases its case primarily on the uniqueness of this area, which as well as its natural beauty has charming period houses, along with restaurants and cafes which serve traditional Mountains fare and are an integral part of the overall ambience of the area. MAM believes that this ambience will be destroyed forever by an incursion from McDonalds, which would be rapidly followed by other fast food chains.
MAM seeks support and assistance from anti-McDonalds campaigners who have fought successfully in other parts of the world. Email may be addressed to gapple@pnc.com.au.
See also:
Bialystok, Poland
October 1996
The town of Bialystok in Poland was bombarded with anti-McDonald's sentiment during the October protests. The 16th October Day of Action saw a demostration outside the local McDonald's outlet with both 'What's Wrong With McDonald's' and a kids leaflet ('Ronald Lies To Children') being handed out. The town also saw placards placed throughout the town and a local paper aswell as several 'alternative' papers carried reports of the protests.
Genoa, Italy
October 1996
A recent protest in Genoa, Italy (October 1996) saw 1,500 'What's Wrong With McDonald's' leaflets handed out to a 'very interested crowd'. The group of protestors, numbering some 25 people, protested outside a local McDonald's store. The manager of the store called the police and demanded that the protestors be moved on. Following two hours of 'negotiations' the protestors were allowed to continue handing out the leaflet.
(2) A TV news report of October 1996 (broadcast on the first day of the Closing Speeches).
(3) The McSpotlight Video. A 9 minute romp through the issues, highlights, making-of, and possible consequences for the Internet's most contentious activist website. Volunteers who helped to construct the 3,000-file library of information about McDonald's and their ilk explain how it was made (for no money), why they (accidentally) gave up their lives to the undertaking, the precautions taken to ensure that it will never be stopped, how it can compliment traditional campaigning tactics and precisely why it is the Final Nail in McDonald's Global Censorship Strategy. Fast, furious, famous, (occasionally) funny, a Moby soundtrack and hardly any incomprehensible nerdy-computer-geek words.
The McLibel & McSpotlight Video can be ordered from:
Tel/Fax +44-(0)171 713 1269
OR
Look at: Merchandise Page
Please note: this video is in PAL format which CANNOT be played on VCRs in some countries (for example USA, Canada & France). If in doubt about whether the PAL system is used in your country, contact the McLibel Support Campaign or an appropriate organisation in your country.
November 1996
Sheffield, UK
Sheffield has seen the birth of a new anti-McDonald's group -
Sheffield Children Against McD's (SCAM) are an active & enthusiastic group,
holding weekly meetings and regular demos.
They marked 'No Shop Day' (30th November) with a demo in the city.
They plan to put together a page for McSpotlight and encourage other such groups to submit their reports, ideas and experiences to the site. Post details to:
info@mcspotlight.org
