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Extinction Rebellion says dairy in food at Brighton schools is racist | UK | News | Express.co.uk

SERVING dairy in foods at schools is "racist" an Extinction Rebellion campaigner told a council after hundreds signed a petition to serve children plant based meals only.

express.co.uk

'Cheese is racist' storm as hundreds back ban on dairy foods in school

SERVING dairy in foods at schools is "racist" an Extinction Rebellion campaigner told a council after hundreds signed a petition to serve children plant based meals only.

Alison Plaumer, from the global environmental movement, has led a petition for more plant-based meals to be served in schools and other venues. She told one council there is a "racist element" to serving dairy because she believes a large percentage of the BAME communities is lactose-intolerant. More than 240 people have backed the campaign so far, reports Sussex Live.

Speaking at Brighton and Hove City Council meeting in March, Ms Plaumer said: "Arguably, there is a racist element to serving dairy too much because 65 per cent of the world’s population are lactose intolerant, many from the BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) community.
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Labour councillors in Enfield, north London, have already stopped serving meat at council events, while Lewisham has voted to provide exclusively plant-based options at its events. Leeds had introduced a meat-free day and another plant-based day a week across 182 schools.

Brighton and Hove City Council has no political control at the momenty but the Green Party has a minority lead - one seat ahead of Labour.

Elaine Hills, a councillor for the Green Party there, is deputy chair of the council’s Children, Young People and Skills Committee and has been a vegan for 28 years.

She said: "Plant-based food certainly has a much lower carbon footprint than a conventional diet. I agree it is something we should focus on to meet our carbon neutrality goals.