A Manchester actress joined dozens of PETA supporters who locked themselves in cages wearing monkey masks and prison uniforms outside the French Embassy in London.
Kate Laycy, who was crowned PETA’s Sexiest Vegan in 2014, is demanding Air France join every other major airline in the world and stop flying thousands of terrified monkeys every year to laboratories for experiments.
Air France is the only major airline in the world that still ships primates to laboratories.
“French diplomats and the public should know that Air France, France’s flag-carrying airline, is the last commercial airline still facilitating and profiting from the torture of highly intelligent and sensitive monkeys,” Kate said.
CRUEL: Air France shipped at least 5,500 monkeys to US labs in 2013
Many of the primates come from monkey farms, which are often kept in poor conditions, while others are torn away from their homes and families in the wild.
They are crammed into small wooden crates and transported inside dark cargo holds before they reach their final destination.
Kate added: “These animals are not only subjected to painful procedures but also deprived of everything that is natural and important to them, leaving them desperately lonely, traumatised and psychologically damaged.”
CAGED: The monkeys are often ‘crammed’ into small containers
Air France shipped at least 5,500 monkeys to US laboratories in 2013 and thousands more to laboratories across Europe.
Many well know figures have spoken out against Air France for shipping monkeys to laboratories, including actor James Cromwell, anthropologist Dr Jane Goodall and musician Peter Gabriel.
