A 32-year-old man was apprehended after videos circulated online allegedly displaying pro-Palestinian demonstrators letting live rodents loose in three McDonald’s branches in Birmingham. One of these videos shows the rodents, seemingly mice, marked with the Palestinian flag’s colors.
Online chatter suggests that McDonald’s outlets in Israel provided 100,000 complimentary meals to the nation’s military personnel and security force members in the wake of Hamas’s unexpected strike on 7 October. This rumored gesture by McDonald’s allegedly motivated pro-Palestinian activists to advocate for a boycott of the international chain.
However, McDonald’s issued a statement condemning the “misinformation and inaccurate narratives” concerning its stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict after the videos became public. The company clarified: “McDonald’s Corporation isn’t financially backing or endorsing any governments implicated in this dispute, and any decisions made by our local developmental licensee partners occurred autonomously, without McDonald’s authorization or endorsement.”
The company further expressed sympathy for all communities and families affected by the crisis, denouncing violence of any sort and standing firm against hate speech. McDonald’s reiterated its commitment to welcoming everyone.
Similar episodes have been reported from around the U.K. targeting the fast food chain. Rated News has also seen videos shared online of individuals who are marking supermarket goods with whats believed to be Pro-Palestine stickers.
