Vandals Force Two-Michelin-Star Restaurant to Scrap Foie Gras
A TWO-Michelin-star restaurant has been forced to axe foie gras from its menu after animal rights activists vandalised the building.
Midsummer House in Cambridge was targeted for selling the controversial delicacy at the weekend, with activists defacing the restaurtant by spraying “Ban Foie Gras” and “Stop Selling Foie Gras" all over the exterior.
The protesters - from the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) - also glued the restaurant`s locks and smashed up the front door, windows and window frames.
The ALF said the restaurant “made itself a target for direct action" due to the fact it makes profits from foie gras - which is produced via controversial methods which involve force-feeding geese.
It is understood that the group have warned this may not be the last attack on the restaurant, which has now reoped after clearing the damage.
Following a discussion with the local police last night, chef patron Daniel Clifford agreed to the move in an effort to prevent further attacks in the future, although he expressed his dismay that a group of illegal protesters have forced him to take such action.
"A few weeks ago I`d have said it was a question of giving my customers freedom of choice, but this is serious now," he said.
"They`ve said if we don`t take it off the menu the attacks will get worse. The police have advised that the ALF can get pretty violent, so we`ve been left with no choice.
I have to take it off the menu for the sake of my staff, my family and my business."
It was the second time in a week that Midsummer House had been targeted by protestors, with Animal Rights Cambridge staging a peaceful protest against the selling of foie gras, but the group has been quick to distance itself from the rather more dramatic actions of ALF.
Police are now investigating claims of criminal damage caused in the attack.
- Have you ever had trouble with protesters? What do you make of Daniel Clifford`s decision to take foie gras off the menu? Let us know below.
