Anti-fur activists storm Winners store in downtown Toronto

There's nothing like a group of angry, screaming protesters to drive people out of an enclosed space—which is exactly the point behind a demonstration at Toronto's flagship Winners location today.

Local animal rights activist Len Goldberg, famous for his involvement in actions against IKEA, Antler restaurant, and Ryding Regency Meat Packers (among others) says that members of a Toronto anti-fur group just "ambushed" the inside of the Winners at Yonge Dundas Square.

The demonstration was just one in what he describes as an "escalating campaign that has now ambushed the insides of dozens of Winners in Toronto and across Canada."

Goldberg and his fellow activists are calling upon TJX Canada, which owns Winners, HomeSense and Marshalls, to go fur-free, and not just for kicks.

The company's parent brand, TJX global, already has a no-fur policy for its stores in the U.S., UK, Europe and Australia. Protesters are simply pushing the company to extend this policy into its Canadian locations as well.

"We began by reaching out cordially to TJX, and were met by two TJX executives," said Goldberg on Friday. "But subsequently TJX has for now decided to ignore its global ethical approach and instead peddle a growing number of disgusting new fur products."

These products include blankets and full fur coats made from what protesters allege were "live-skinned rabbits tortured and murdered on Chinese fur farms."

"We will continue escalating with disruptions inside Winners locations across Canada, protests outside Winners, phone call and email campaigns, and online shaming of TJX/Winners," says Goldberg, "for torturing and murdering bunnies, foxes, raccoon dogs and coyotes for evil fur fashion."