Media Release

 26^th August 2003

Piccadilly Circus Protest Planned Against Adidas

 Killing Kangaroos for Kicks Not On, say Campaigners

Saturday 30 August sees animal rights group Viva! stage its 3^rd International Day of Action Against Adidas, the world's biggest users of kangaroo skin. To mark the event, a giant kangaroo will take part in a protest outside Lillywhites in Piccadilly Circus, who sell kangaroo leather Adidas shoes.

Photocall

Date: Saturday 30 August  Time: 1pm

Location: outside Lillywhites, Piccadilly Circus, London

Viva! has virtually ended the sale of kangaroo meat in Britain by showing consumers graphic images of the barbaric killing industry. They are now campaigning to end the sale of kangaroo skins, used for luxury products such as football boots, including the Predator, as favoured by David Beckham and manufactured by Adidas. The kangaroo kill quota for 2003 has been set at 6.5 million adult kangaroos which does not take into account the million or more baby 'joeys' who will be killed when their mothers are shot. After 18 months of correspondence between Viva! and Adidas, the company refuses to acknowledge the cruel destruction of these innocent babies. They are removed from their dead mothers' pouches and killed by clubbing or decapitation - the officially recommended ways of disposing of these unwanted byproducts of the world's biggest wildlife massacre. Older 'at foot' joeys who escape are almost certain to die of hunger or predation.

The kangaroo industry recently revealed the role played in this massacre by football boot manufacturers, announcing: "This [football boot] market is vital to the kangaroo industry. Without it underpinning kangaroo skin prices the entire industry would be at risk." With 70 per cent of the market for football boots, Adidas is the driving force behind the kill.

"This slaughter of wildlife is abhorrent in the 21^st century", says Viva! campaigner Claudia Tarry. "By using kangaroo skin to make football boots, Adidas is keeping a barbaric killing industry afloat. If state-of-the-art, synthetic football boots are good enough for the world's best player, Ronaldo, they're good enough for anyone! We are urging the public to boycott Adidas until they stop killing kangaroos for kicks - and profits!"

Viva!'s 3^rd international day of action against Adidas will see protests across the UK, Australia, the US, Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Russia. Campaigners will leaflet outside Adidas stockists. The event is supported by the Australian Wildlife Protection Council and the Wildlife Protection Association of Australia.

For further information please call Claudia Tarry or visit www.savethekangaroo.com.