Armed with fake blood, animal-rights activists protest at SF Costco

File photo of a Costco store. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune/TNS) File photo of a Costco store. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune/TNS) Photo: Antonio Perez, TNS Photo: Antonio Perez, TNS Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Armed with fake blood, animal-rights activists protest at SF Costco 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Activists are not chickens when it comes to protesting animal rights abuses. Their target: a local Costco.

Direct Action Everywhere staged a graphic protest at the store’s SoMa location Sunday over the treatment of egg-laying hens. The protestors stormed the store’s meat section and had a die-in near an entrance where actors covered in fake blood pretended to eat another protester.

The protest involved Costco suppliers’ controversial treatment of hens. Activists from the organization say that many of the “cage-free” farms are housing the chickens in crowded cages and violating principles dictated by the “certified humane” label. They released undercover footage of the farms last week showing the poor conditions.

“Costco is supporting violence against animals, shown clearly by the cannibalistic conditions,” said protester Diane Sorbi in a release. “Costco needs to be held accountable for these actions.”

Lizzie Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ljohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LizzieJohnsonnn