Animal rights activists on Thursday converged on Sauchiehall Street outside McDonald’s in Glasgow to protest against the killing of animals for burgers, telling customers that the beef they ate “had a face.”

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals organised the protests, displaying placards with the inscription “Face It: Meat Is Murder.”

One of the PETA protesters held a replica of a bloody severed cow’s head to amplify the message and urged McDonald’s customers to eat “McPlant burger.”

A protester, Pamela Waite, 29, condemned the consumption of animals, saying they often suffer pain during slaughter in abattoirs.

She said people unsettled by the sight of a fake bloodied cow’s head should reconsider their stance on meat consumption and become vegetarians.

“If you’re getting triggered by a fake cow’s head when there’s actual carcasses of animals inside, then you should be evaluating why you’re feeling triggered by that and make a change in your life,” Ms Waite told Glasgow Times.

“We’re here to show McDonald’s customers the uncomfortable truth that their beef burger had a face,” she said. 

Ms Waite likened the animals to “sentient individuals who feel pain, fear and stress, and who all have miserable lives and terrifying deaths in the abattoir.”

She said the protest aimed to change the mindset of meat-eaters to opt for plant-based meals.

“We’re trying to get people’s attention and get them to think,” she explained. “If you disagree with this, then you should be choosing the vegan option.”

Ms Waite suggested vegan burgers as an alternative to beef burgers.

“McDonald’s has the McPlant burger, which is just as tasty and doesn’t have any of the cruelty,” she said.