Major names on the London calendar including Burberry, Versus Versace and Gareth Pugh were targeted by animal rights activists, and the protests outside the shows became news far beyond the front row.

Holding up signs with slogans like “Cruelty Is Never Style,” “Animals Are Not a Fabric” and “Say No to Fur,” demonstrators catcalled, spat and blocked entry and exit points to sites, forcing security guards and police to form human barriers so visibly frightened guests could get through.

The rallies, organized by Surge, an organization that describes itself as being “determined to create a world where compassion toward nonhuman animals is the norm,” focused on brands that the activists said had used fur in past collections. A key demand, a Surge spokesperson said, was that the British Fashion Council now ban the use of fur on all catwalks. (None of the shows targeted this season used fur in their spring/summer 2018 collections.)

On Saturday evening, at the Burberry show in the district of Clerkenwell, the scene was especially charged. Protesters tried to enter the backstage area; celebrities including Kate Moss, Anna Wintour and the British rapper Stormzy were heckled with shouts of “Shame on you”; and the show started late because of the situation outside. In recent years, an uneasy truce appeared to have been found between animal rights groups and the fashion industry, with many major brands and retailers banning the use of fur. But this week seemed to suggest there is still more work to be done. — E.P.

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