Loud whistles, drumming and megaphones have bombarded businesses along Court Street in downtown Cincinnati for the past two months.
The cacophony's creators, an animal rights organization, are directing the noise at one tenant in particular on Court Street: Kroger headquarters.
Animal Equality, an international animal rights organization based in Los Angeles, says they are calling out what they see as inhumane practices by Kroger. Members of the group point to Kroger changing itsgoal to have a "100% cage-free egg supply chain" by 2025 to 70% by 2030.
Kroger previously said that shoppers' "desire for affordability" meant it wasn't on track to meet the goal. As for the protests, Kroger said in a statement emailed to The Enquirer: "We respect every
organization's First Amendment right to peacefully protest."
The other businesses along the street, however, say they're suffering the consequences.
"It's obnoxious," said Braheam Shteiwi. He owns Court Street Kitchen a block away from Kroger's headquarters. "What's wild is that if that noise was being made by a bar or club or just some guy on the street, they would be shut down immediately."
Protests target 'anyone that Kroger does business with'
The group's protest outside headquarters Aug. 3, sounded much like the other days of protesting, Animal Equality campaign organizer Charlotte Hillberry said.
Around 12:45 p.m., The Enquirer saw 15 protesters march to the front of headquarters beating drums, blaring sirens, blowing whistles and horns and chanting through megaphones. As the protesters marched to the headquarters, the people sitting at outdoor tables on Court Street Plaza for lunch quickly cleared the area.
Protesters held up signs reading "Kroger Keep Your Cage-Free Promise" and "This Is Cruelty" to employees walking in the building and passing pedestrians. Two protesters held up a banner promoting Animal Equality's "Kroger.Exposed" campaign, while others displayed large cardboard cutouts of Kroger leaders' heads covered in splattered fake blood. They chanted "Empty the cages, set them free," "Greed is no excuse" and "Kroger keep your cage free promise."
Hillberry, 24, has been protesting in front of headquarters since late May. The protesters have been held outside headquarters for several hours almost every weekday this summer, though the group took a break from its demonstrations the last week of July. Hillberry said protesters have gone to other Cincinnati events connected to Kroger, like Taste of Cincinnati and Kroger Queen City Golf Championship.
"Anyone that Kroger does business with, they are also subject to these protests," Hillberry said. "And we'll continue showing up."
Hillberry said that the protesters often get nods and honks of support from those passing by. The goal is not to hurt the surrounding businesses, Hillberry said.
"We understand that it's an inconvenient thing to have to listen to," she said. "I wish those people would look at the bigger picture and think of the animals who are suffering in cages. And their suffering is a lot more compared to some noise and that sort of thing."
Can city officials take action?
City officials met July 28 to discuss what to do. The city has to balance the First Amendment rights of the protesters with the rights of the surrounding residents and business owners, said Councilman Mark Jeffreys. He's heard from those who live and work in the area. The protests are affecting their way of life.
"If we’re enforcing the noise ordinance, then we just need to apply it as a principle across the board," Jeffreys said. "This is not an issue of what someone is protesting about. I’m not weighing in on that. This is an issue of people living there and trying to make a living."
Employees at several other restaurants surrounding Kroger's headquarters declined to talk about any impacts protests have had on foot traffic. Some said they were concerned speaking could cause protesters to harass their businesses.
Shteiwi said he doesn't know how much business the noise has driven away from Court Street Kitchen. The business has a large patio, which accounts for 40% of his seating. He's heard from customers that they've thought twice about coming to the restaurant because of the noise, instead choosing to come at a different time.
"It's very obtrusive to your personal space when you're on that street when that's going on," Shteiwi said. "It makes me anxious."
'Take it up with Kroger'
Claire Roberson, communications manager for Animal Equality, said that if surrounding businesses are concerned about noise, they should "take it up with Kroger." She said any inconvenience for neighbors is "caused by Kroger's terrible practices."
"Every single American benefits from the fact that social organizations have the constitutional right to peacefully demonstrate," she said in an email to The Enquirer.
In June, advocacy group International Council for Animal Welfare said it found Kroger sold eggs from three industrial farms that had unsanitary and abusive conditions. In a June 24 statement to The Enquirer responding to the findings, a Kroger spokesperson said the company "takes animal welfare allegations seriously."
"We will follow our established processes to investigate claims to best of our ability and take appropriate action," the spokesperson said.
There is no clear end date for the protests, which began in May. Roberson said the demonstrations don't have a set schedule and will continue until "Kroger stops locking animals in cages so cramped they can't even spread their wings."
All about Kroger
Cincinnati-based Kroger operates nearly 2,700 stores in 35 states and the District of Columbia, including 77 in Greater Cincinnati. The company employs 403,000 workers, including nearly 20,000 in the Greater Cincinnati region.
The retailer operates stores under the Kroger banner name as well as Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Harris Teeter, Pick ‘n Save, Dillons, King Soopers, Mariano’s, Fry’s, QFC and others.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 'Obnoxious' protests at Kroger headquarters frustrate neighbors
