- Whole Foods is suing Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), a California animal rights group, for alleged illegal trespassing and repeated store takeovers. For several years the group has held ongoing protests at Whole Foods locations throughout the state. Last week, Northern California’s Superior Court of Alameda County granted the grocery chain a restraining order against DxE, which prevented a planned protest in Berkeley.
- In a statement, Whole Foods said, “DxE members have repeatedly entered our stores and property to conduct demonstrations that disrupt customers and team members by blocking access to our aisles, departments and cash registers, interfering with our business and putting the safety of both customers and team members at risk.”
- The activist group claims it is acting in the interest of the public and has reportedly recorded and posted some of its demonstrations on social media. Matt Johnson, a spokesperson with DxE, told Food Dive that the group holds only peaceful, non-violent protests.
