Protesters angry about milk tried to crash the Maple Leafs outdoor practice in Toronto
Fans converged on Nathan Phillips Square on Thursday for the Toronto Maple Leafs' annual outdoor practice, but not everyone gathered outside of City Hall was there to support the blue and white.
Anti-dairy protesters caused a minor commotion during Thursday's practice, part of a campaign pushing back against the Leafs' partnership with Dairy Farmers of Ontario that has seen players sport a "milk" patch since the 2022-23 season.
The "Dairy is Scary" protest saw organizers hand out milk bottle-shaped leaflets promoting dairy-free alternatives. It follows similar protests held by the animal welfare group during the recent 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend in Toronto.
Event organizer Mary-Chris Staples says, "the word 'milk' has adorned the Maple Leafs' jersey since last season."
"Our goal was to raise awareness of the realities of the dairy industry and give All-Star fans the chance to taste for themselves how fabulous dairy-free can be. Many fans are against the use of corporate logos on sports jerseys in general and also agreed that dairy-free is the way to go."
Activists shared a video on Instagram — likely using a phone that contains conflict minerals mined under hellish conditions — where they inform the public of the often horrifying state of animal welfare at dairy farms.
Though activists state that "police, security and protesters seemed to be chasing each other" during the demonstration, the assembly proved peaceful.
One of the activists involved in the protest, Jenny McQueen, noted that even notable Leafs fans are against the milk patches, citing a 2022 article by Leafs fan page editorinleaf.com that slammed the endorsement as "detrimental to animal welfare, our environment and our health."
Jenny McQueen
