A male Pizza Express customer punched a female vegan activist in the face after a group of protesters stormed the restaurant in Brighton last night.

Footage of the incident shows the animal rights campaigners from Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) barging into the Italian chain carrying pictures of animals which said: 'I want to live.'

One woman with a loudspeaker addressed the diners while others chanted, 'It's not food, it's violence' and, 'Not your mum, not your milk.'

A confrontation then develops between a man wearing a green jacket with a shaven head and a young woman.

The clearly agitated man confronts the protesters and tells them: 'You're scaring these people, f*** off now.'

He then pushes the woman who turns around to confront him, which causes him to punch her in the face.

Vegan activists from Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) stormed a Pizza Express in Brighton last night, holding pictures of animals which said: 'I want to live'

As he strikes her, he appears to shout 'punch'.

The man is then held back by other diners and waiters as the protest continues.

The video then shows a woman addressing the protesters calmly while they continue their demonstration.

Various protesters hold up placards advocating Rose's Law, which hopes to create an animal bill of rights.

At one point, a man approaches the protesters and says: 'You're scaring these people, f*** off now'

He then pushes one of the young women who turns around to confront him when he punches her in the face

The man is then held back by other diners and waiters as the protest continues in the Brighton restaurant

They then leave the Pizza Express while chanting: 'What do we want? Animal liberation. When do we want it? Now.'

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A spokesperson for DxE Brighton, who shared the video on their Facebook page last night: 'We must stand together against speciesism, but some are not ready to hear our message of equality and justice.

'Today, whilst bringing this message to diners at the chain restaurant, we were violently attacked. It is not surprising that those consuming violence are quick to partake in it too.'

Speciesism is the idea that humans are superior and have greater moral rights than animals.

A spokesperson for DxE Brighton said: 'It is not surprising that those consuming violence are quick to partake in it too'

The video then shows a woman addressing the protesters calmly while they continue their demonstration

The spokesperson added: 'This kind of response will not deter us, we will not back down in the face of repression; not by the public, not by the police, nor the industries they protect.'

The Pizza Express is around the corner from the Brighton Town Hall were activists are currently chained in protest for their demands of an animal bill of rights.

After the tense exchange at Pizza Express, the activists returned to the town hall to join the protest.

The activists have been camped outside for more than 19 hours and have been live streaming their demonstration on Facebook.

Brighton has seen a number of protests in restaurants led by Direct Action Everywhere including one in McDonald's

Brighton has seen a number of protests in restaurants led by Direct Action Everywhere, which has seen members in court because of their demonstrations.

They previously raided a McDonald's wearing pig and chicken masks before spraying fake blood on the floor.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: 'Incidents involving animal rights activists at several restaurants in Brighton on Sunday evening, in which protesters with loud hailers chanted slogans at diners, have been reported to police.

'It was alleged that at one establishment a protester was punched by a customer, and at another activists were thrown to the ground.

'Several activists have chained themselves to the exterior of Brighton town hall.

'Police are investigating and are meanwhile monitoring the situation.

'Currently no arrests have been made but if criminal acts are found to have taken place, appropriate action will be taken.'

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