Protesters gathered in York to highlight what they claim is the cruel mistreatment of animals in slaughterhouses.
Members of Vegetarians International Voice for Animals - Viva - claim that tens of millions of animals suffer before they die because they are not stunned correctly.
They carried out a protest outside the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) in Peasholme Green, York, before giving out leaflets outside fast food restaurants in the city centre.
But MHS's acting director of veterinary services, Jane Downes, said Viva's claims were "totally without foundation".
"The last thing a slaughterhouse operator wants to do is stress the animals, because stress affects meat quality," she said.
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