WATCH: Butchers chase animal rights activists out of London meat market

A band of animal rights activists bit off more than they could chew when they tried to pull a stunt at a London meat market. Hostile butchers sent the vegans packing after allegedly pelting them with eggs and meat.

The showdown took place after protesters from the Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) group tried to stage a demonstration at Smithfield Market in the UK capital.  

Video footage of the feisty stand-off shows a furious fight between activists and the butchers who were clad in white coats. Punches were thrown by both sides before the demonstrators were roughly escorted out of the building by the market workers. 

The footage was posted on Facebook by the DxE group. “The butchers at Smithfield Market in London city mob peaceful activists who are simply standing up for animal rights,” the vegan group wrote.

But what can you expect from people who enjoy cutting up bodies.

The animal lovers claim they were attacked with eggs and “frozen animal parts” as well as being doused with ice water and kicked and punched during the unsuccessful stunt. 

At one point in the encounter, the person filming the scene was approached by one of the butchers who instructed them to stop filming, as people rushed out of the market and as sirens wailed in the background. 

The animal rights group published the video a couple of days after the event. Smithfield Market revealed that the incident took place on Friday, October 9, but provided no further information about the incident. 

DxE is an international movement with several subgroups dotted around Britain. They say their stunts are part of an effort to “denormalise activities that involve animal exploitation through non violent disruption.”

Members of the group previously vandalized a McDonald's outlet with fake blood while wearing pig and chicken masks.

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