THREE anti-fur protesters were arrested this morning after an altercation outside Bonnie and Clyde at Wilson's Corner.
A 42-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault, a 41-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence and a 39-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence after the scuffle broke out at 11:15am today (Tuesday).
An Essex Police spokesman said: "A 42-year-old man from Shoebury was arrested on suspicion of assault while a 39-year-old woman from Dartford was arrested on suspicion of committing a public order offence and a 41-year-old woman from Southend was arrested on suspicion of committing a public order offence."
Activists from Essex Animal Defenders have been seen protesting for the past four weeks and have been moving between Bonnie and Clyde, Virgo, on Brentwood High Street and Lucy's Boutique on Ongar Road.
The protesters targeted The Only Way Is Essex star Lucy Mecklenburgh's Brentwood boutique last Tuesday – although Miss Mecklenburgh vehemently denies ever having sold real fur.
Marcia Hagon, one of the protesters, from Romford, said: "We are about raising awareness of the fur trade but we also demonstrate outside restaurants that sell unethical food like foie gras.
"We demonstrate against the unethical treatment of animals. We just think it's unnecessary.
"All we are trying to achieve is to stop them selling these products. We just think it is wrong that they are making money out of the suffering of others."
A spokeswoman for Miss Mecklenburgh said this week: "She categorically does not and has never sold real fur and she does not condone the sale of it."
Virgo told the Gazette it did not sell real fur. Bonnie and Clyde could not be reached for comment.
Essex Animal Defenders, which has about 30 members, has been involved in a number of different campaigns, including protesting outside Cheale Meats, the Warley slaughterhouse where covert footage picked up two workers abusing pigs.
