Gardens not Slaughterhouses

Photo of a white chicken, eye clearly visible looking through its yellow plastic cage at the camera whilst in cramped conditions with other chickens

Photo credit: East London Chicken Save

In March 2022 Animal Rebellion launched the Gardens Not Slaughterhouses campaign – a pressure campaign to shut down London’s last remaining slaughterhouse. Thousands of chickens are killed every week at Kedassia on Smeed Road in Hackney Wick. We think it’s time to make the slaughterhouse history and transform it into a vibrant, thriving garden!

Hackney Wick is a growing community. A space for artists, creators and families. Yet, right in the centre of our neighbourhood, is a place of horror and death. This is not the community that we want to build. 

Every year in the UK 1.1 billion land animals are killed for food, 950 million of them are birds. Chickens are intelligent, gentle birds and experience pain and trauma not only during the slaughter process but also on farms and during transportation. Together we can stop the suffering of thousands of chickens. 

Slaughterhouses also damage the environment, releasing toxic chemicals and waste into the surrounding area. They are also responsible for large outputs of greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide, both major contributors to climate change. These gases are created both in the process of slaughter and by the degradation of wastewater. Furthermore, 3 out of 4 new infectious diseases come from animals – slaughtering animals puts everyone at risk.

We are joining local residents and demanding that the slaughterhouse is redeveloped into a community garden where residents can benefit from the environment around them. Together we can shut this slaughterhouse down and transform this place of death into a space for life and community.

To help us shut down London’s last slaughterhouse, sign up below

Gardens not Slaughterhouses Contact Form


Download our companion PDF leaflet

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