Helen Steel and Dave Morris vs corporate fast food giant. Photo: Nick Cobbing.

McLibel

It all started when a small environmental group called London Greenpeace (no relation) published a leaflet called 'What's Wrong With McDonald's' in 1986 and began handing it out outside branches of the fast-food corporation.

In 1990 McDonalds issued a libel writ against five members of London Greenpeace. Three formally apologied because legal aid doesn't cover libel cases, leaving two - Helen Steel and Dave Morris - who chose instead to represent themselves in court in a trial that turned out to be the longest-running libel case in British history...

Here are the main Squall articles about the McLibel trial, in chronological order...

McLibel
The infamous trial re-starts after new-year recess, set to become the longest libel trial ever held in Britain - Squall 9, Jan/Feb 1995, page 6

McLibel Appeal For Assistance
Call-out to help fund two activists up against a mega-corporation - Squall 10, Summer 1995, page 8

McLibel Trial Moves To Rainforest Destruction
Now the longest civil court case in British legal history, the McLibel trial scrutinises the destruction of South and Central American rainforest by the fast-food corporation. - Squall 12, Spring 1996, page 6

McDonald’s Set New Targets Of Domination
- fast food giant plans world dominance - Squall 13, Summer 1996, page 11

Gobbling The Rainforests
New evidence presented during the McLibel trial strengthens allegations that the McDonald is implicated in the destruction of tropical rainforest. Jim Carey reports. - Squall 13, Summer 1996, page 20

Special Branch Help McDonald's
McLibel trial brings up information about Special Branch's surveillance on protesters and collusion with McDonald's. - Squall 14, Autumn 1996, page 9

McLibel Trial Latest
Now officially the longest court battle in British history - comes back from summer recess. - Squall 14, Autumn 1996, page 9

Big Mike & Fries
Michael Portillo lines up for McDonald's photo opportunity while historic building in his constituency gets flogged to McD's. - Squall 14, Autumn 1996, page 11

McLatest
With the mammoth McLibel trial verdict pending, Squall has the update on the tenacious stance of Steel and Morris against the might of McDonald’s. - Squall 15, Summer 1997, page 21

McLibel Two Take Second Bite
Dave Morris and Helen Steel are off to the Court of Human Rights to appeal - Squall 16, Summer 1998, page 8

Fat Mac And Fries
New reports confirm what we already know about health and fast foods - April 1999

Aorta Attack
British people now eat more fast food than anyone else in Europe - Squall Download 1, Oct/Nov 1999

Still Getting Grilled
With the McLibel Two launching further legal volleys, anti-McDonald's campaigns across the world are attracting more popular support than ever - Nov 1999

Corporate Cops
A remarkable out-of-court police settlement with widespread implications for the relationship between big business and the police - 2000

A Proper Grilling
The McLibel trial and the legal aftermath reaches its climax at the end of 2004 - 12-Dec-2004