Vegans Shed Crocodile Tears for Jamie Oliver

Vegans who protested outside a celebrity chef’s restaurant now claim they are upset he is closing it down.

Activists complained Brit chef Jamie Oliver’s claim on a TV show that free-range cows are “happy cows” was wrong.

So they staged a protest outside one of his eateries in the UK, Jamie’s Italian in Bristol, to make their feelings known.

But when the TV chef said he was closing down activist Josephine Robinson, of Bristol Animal Save, said she was “sorry” to see it go.

She said: “I am really sorry to hear that Jamie is closing restaurants, as I believed he was in a unique position to educate the public about the benefits of a vegan lifestyle for the planet, humanity and the animals.”

The group had accused Oliver of “misinforming” the public about the meat and dairy industries.

During an interview Oliver said he was annoyed by vegans not because of their lifestyle or food choices, but because of their “on-or-off” outlook on meat.

He said: “The vegan diet tracks better than anything on longevity, health and lower cases of disease.

“I am split these days because vegans annoy me, but I also do care for them.”

The group took exception to a claim that free range cows were “happy cows” because they said even free range cows spend long periods inside cow shed, which meant they couldn’t be happy.

During protests last year, Josephine and her fellow campaigners distributed flyers, pamphlets and even vegan-friendly choc-chip cookies to passers-by in the street, while customers ate inside.

A spokesman from the Jamie Oliver restaurant group said the Bristol restaurant is one of 12 in the chain to face closure as part a business restructuring plan.

A statement from Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group said: “The Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group has confirmed it is proposing to close 12 UK branches.

“It follows a strategic review to ensure the business is in good shape for the future.

“The remaining 25 sites in the UK will be unaffected by this decision and will continue to trade normally.

“This announcement does not affect Jamie’s Italian franchises managed through Jamie’s Italian International.

“The Jamie Oliver Media Group and the Jamie Oliver Licensing Group, which are both managed and run separately, are also unaffected.”