5 Caledonian Road, London N1 9DX, UK. Tel/ Fax: +44 (0)171 713 1269
E-mail: mclibel@globalnet.co.uk
Internet info: www.mcspotlight.org
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MSC is calling for an international "Victory Day of Action" on the Saturday
after the Judge has delivered his personal 'verdict' (expected in April or
May 1997, or possibly later). In the UK, it is hoped that a majority of
McDonald's 750 stores will be leafletted on that day. If you live in the
UK, please assist in the coordinated leafletting on the day of action by
adopting your local store. Contact MSC for an "Adopt-a-Store" form to complete.
(2) The official daily court transcripts. Since July 1995, the
Defendants were forced to pay the full commercial cost
(3) Other legal costs - photocopying, phone calls to witnesses etc.
(By the end of 1996, approx £35,000 had been spent on these three areas of
legal expenses over the 6 years since the writs were served. This is how
much McDonald's was spending on the case in a few days!).
(4) The expenses of printing and distributing the Campaign leaflets
and other materials.
(5) Administration costs. This includes the costs of sending out
mailings to supporters and regular press releases.
The original London Greenpeace Factsheet was designed to highlight the
problems caused by multinationals and the fast food industry as a whole by
focussing on McDonald's. The Factsheet says
"What is wrong with McDonald's is also wrong with all the junk-food chains
like Kentucky Fried Chicken, Wendy's, etc. All of them hide their ruthless
exploitation of resources, animals and people behind a facade of colourful
gimmicks and 'family fun'." MSC has not lost sight of this critique of multinationals and the
exploitative system we live in as a whole. In October 1995, MSC
organised an "Anti-Corporations Fayre" open to the public, bringing together
groups and individuals campaigning against companies and corporations, to
share tactics and experiences in fighting corporations, and to discuss
alternatives to them. In November 1995, MSC organised a demonstration
jointly with Baby
Milk Action (campaigning against Nestle) and supporters of Earth First!
at Management Summit '95,
a prestigious conference where top executives from Nestle, McDonalds and
other companies were speaking on helping companies "dominate existing
markets and win in and create tomorrow's markets".
Many messages of support and donations from trade union branches have been
sent to the campaign. The MSC has produced a bulletin
for circulation throughout the labour movement - if you are a member of
a union branch or other labour group please show the bulletin to its members.
Support groups have organised benefit gigs and protests in solidarity with
the McLibel Defendants and have distributed information about the trial to
the press and public. There are a number of McLibel support groups around
the world to whom requests for information and donations (in local
currencies) can be sent:
McLibel Support Campaign (New
Zealand/Aotearoa)
McLibel Support Campaign ( Canada
and USA)
McLibel Support Campaign (Australia)
McLibel Support Campaign (Ireland)
Campaign Against McDonald's (Scotland)
McDonald's Boikotten (Norway)
Campaign Statement
The McLibel Support Campaign ("MSC") was set up shortly after the writs
were served on supporters of London Greenpeace in September 1990. It was
established to generate solidarity and financial backing for the McLibel
Defendants, who are not themselves responsible for Campaign publicity. MSC
also continues the anti-McDonald's campaigning begun by London Greenpeace in
the 1980's, and is supportive of, but independent from, general, worldwide,
grassroots anti-McDonald's activities and protests.
Like in any campaign or struggle, by organising and coordinating information
and publicity, and strengthening networks of resistance, campaigners ensure
that the tables are turned on those who try to shut them up. McDonalds aim
of suppressing activity has only served to futher anger and strengthen the
determination of their critics. This has resulted in ever growing
publicity, the dissemination of detailed information about McDonald's
business practices, and in a constantly increasing circulation of
anti-McDonald's leaflets worldwide (2 million handed out to the public in
the UK alone since the writs were served). As thousands of people have pledged to continue to do this whatever
the trial verdict, it is clear that the leafletting is unstoppable and that
McDonald's have been beaten.
PHOTO: March Against McDonald's, London 16th October 1994
© Nick Cobbing
Wide support
MSC receives donations and support from a wide range of groups and
individuals: trade unionists, environmentalists, people concerned about
animal welfare/rights, people concerned about diet and nutrition, present
and former McDonald's employees, etc. Some people are concerned and
knowledgable about all the issues in the case, but one of the great aspects
of MSC is the spread of ideas and information that takes place: for example,
by coming into contact with the Campaign, some trade unionists learn more
about environmental issues and animal welfare, and some animal rights
activists learn more about poor working conditions and worker organisation.
Linda McCartney gave the Campaign a donation of £1,000 and there are some
other well-known people supporting the Campaign, but the vast majority of
support and donations comes from ordinary members of the public. The
messages of support are a great morale boost for Helen and Dave.Expenditure
Most of the money donated to MSC is spent (or has been spent) on the
following:
(1) The expenses of the Defence witnesses in getting to court, many
of whom came from overseas.
to the transcript
company to obtain the essential transcripts. Campaigning
MSC continues campaigning against
McDonald's. For example, MSC organised a protest at the opening of a
McDonald's store in Kings Cross,
London in December 1995, and every year on 16th October (World Day of Action
Against McDonald's) along with London Greenpeace organises a demonstration
outside McDonald's European Headquarters. MSC provides support and
encouragement to other independent campaigns/campaigners against McDonald's
and produces summaries of the actions around the world that it hears about,
such as "International Round-Up 1994",
"40 Years of McGarbage - Anti-Birthday
Events", "Seven Days That Shook The
Corporation", and "Ten Days That Shook The Corporation".
PHOTO: McDonald's litter returned by
campaigners to the European Headquarters, London
14th October 1994
Merchandise
Protest Pledge
Appeal for donations
McLibel Support Campaign and send to ..
McLibel Support Campaign
5 Caledonian Road, London N1 9DX, UK
Account name: McLibel Support Campaign
Account No: 0242/702 940 907
Sort Code: 07-00-93
Identification: 333 333 34
Worldwide contact details
(See also the 'Countries' section of
the McSpotlight Campaigns page)
Internet Email List
Server
PO Box 14-156
Kilbirnie
Wellington
New Zealand/Aotearoa
c/o A-Zone
1573 Milwaukee, PMB 420
Chicago, IL 60622 (mailing address only)
USA
E-Mail: McYinYang2@hotmail.com
Ph. (312) 682-2821
PO Box 700
Brunswick Lower
Vic. 3056
Australia
E-mail: mclibel@xchange.anarki.net
McCalumnia Apoyo (Spain and Portugal)
El Lokal
C/ de la Cera 1 bis
08001 Barcelona
Spain
c/o AFAR
PO Box 4734
Dublin 1
Republic of Ireland
PO Box 1008
Glasgow G42 8AA
Scotland
Tel +44-141-226 5066
Grønland 26
0180 Oslo
Norway
Tel +47-22-194449
Fax +47-67149331
Bankgiro: 1607 353885
