Vegan activist storms Aussie McDonald's in blood-soaked protest

A blood-soaked vegan has stormed a packed McDonald's restaurant, clutching a fake pig's head and blasting the "screams" of slaughtered animals.

Footage of animal activist Tash Peterson's dramatic protest at a Macca's in Western Australia on Friday has been shared online where it has been met with a mixed response.

Some said the protest was "harassing customers" while others praised the 26-year-old for her bold actions.

In the footage, Peterson can be seen entering the fast-food restaurant dressed in all white, with fake blood smeared down her front.

She's clasping a fake pig head under her arm and the back of her shirt reads: "Your 'food' fought for their life. That should leave a bad taste in your mouth."

Peterson is also holding a sign that calls on McDonald's to "tell them the truth" and points to a well-known documentary about animal agriculture.

"The sounds you hear now are the sounds animals being brutally murdered inside Australian slaughterhouses," she shouts to the full restaurant where people are eating their meals.

"They suffocate to death, they are electrocuted or they have a bolt run straight to their brain.

"You are directly contributing to this each time you eat meat, dairy and eggs."

She goes on to claim that McDonald's are "lying" to customers about where its meat is coming from and urges customers not to buy meat products anymore while standing beside the store's counter.

"There is no such thing as humane slaughterhouses. Humane means showing compassion and benevolence.

"Slaughter is blatant murder. You cannot humanely slaughter someone who wants to live."

The protest caught the attention of lots of passers-by and eventually police arrive on the scene to talk to Peterson.

On TikTok where the well-known activist posts under the username @vganbooty, response has been mixed.

Some believed Peterson shouldn't try to "force" people to be vegans while others said they "feel sorry" for the Macca's staff just trying to earn a living.

"Bro the little kids in maccas you are covered in blood in a family restaurant," one said.

"I honestly feel sorry for these 14-20 year old workers who were just trying to make some money," another wrote.

"You realise individual maccas stores have no power to do anything? leave the workers alone and go to hq," someone else agreed.

"I'm a vegetarian, this is not OK, don't force your beliefs on others. This is why us vegans and vegetarians have a bad name," a furious woman wrote.

Some appeared to mock Peterson's efforts, saying her videos had made them "want a Big Mac".

"You damage plants we need them for oxygen," one wrote.

"Anyone wanna order chicken nuggets now?" someone else teased.

"I've never wanted a Big Mac more," another added.

Some applauded her protest.

"What you do is truly inspiring," one said, adding that "ruining someone's business" in the current pandemic could be extremely damaging.

"Thank you for doing this, you save the world," another supporter wrote.

"Great work xxx the animals need a voice," one added.

It's not the first time Peterson has stormed through high-profile businesses in protest.

On Christmas Eve she made a public display in Coles and Woolworths as customers tried to finish their Christmas shopping.

She's also recently opened up about receiving death threats.