Kathmandu, August 1
Two London branches of UK’s Burger chain Byron have been forced to close after protesters released hundreds of live insects into the restaurants.
According to the British media, the protests are part of a growing backlash following the burger chain’s involvement in an immigration sting against its own staff. Thirty-five illegal immigrants, including some from Nepal, Albania, Brazil, and Egypt were arrested by UK’s immigration officials in July 4 raids in London.
Activists from two organisations, London Black Revs and Malcolm X Movement, let out a “swarm of insects” in Byron’s Shaftesbury Avenue and Holborn restaurants on Friday evening, reports said. Other protesters picketed restaurants over the weekend and #boycottbyron has been circulating on Twitter.
According to reports, staff were allegedly told to attend a health and safety meeting at 9.30am, but immigration officials quickly arrived instead.
In a joint statement published on Facebook, London Black Revs and Malcolm X Movement said the direct action was in response to the chain’s “despicable actions in the past weeks having entrapped waiters, back of house staff and chefs in collaboration with UK Border Agency”.
“Many thousands of live cockroaches, locusts and crickets [have been released] into these restaurants. We apologise to customers and staff for any irritation, however, we had to act as forced deportations such as this and others are unacceptable, we must defend these people and their families from such dehumanised treatment,” the statement said.
