‘You can’t shop in peace when you are buying death’, that was the message from vegan activists to stunned shoppers at a posh supermarket.

The group from Brighton Direction Action Everywhere (DxE) went to Waitrose in Western Road in the city to deliver their message.

They went to the poultry aisle to protest against the slaughter of turkeys for Christmas, showing signs which showed the birds saying “we want to live”.

One sign read: “Turkeys are killed between nine and 21 weeks old. They are just babies.”

An activist took up the microphone to tell shoppers about the injuries the birds suffer and the conditions they are kept in, while holding a sign that said: “Humane murder is a lie.”

It has been part of an autumn and winter of protests by the group, which has previously hit the headlines for storming the meat aisle in Tesco at Church Road in Hove in October, where 30 activists blocked the aisle in a silent protest.

In November they went to the Touro steakhouse in West Street in Brighton, where they played noises of animals screaming.

Then last week they went to the meat aisle at Lidl in Arundel Road, holding signs of turkeys which read “I am an individual, with a personality”.

Read more: Vegans stage anti-Christmas protest at Lidl in Brighton

Following the protest at Waitrose, the group posted on its social media page. They wrote: “We want animal liberation, and we want it now.

“Here to be heard on behalf of the animals whose screams are silenced. Hitting Waitrose, on Western Rd in Brighton city centre, we made a stand.

“You can't shop in peace when you're buying death. Christmas is carnage for so many animals.