McDonald's says an edited video of a man egging on a motorist to drive into protesters outside its north Dunedin restaurant does not show the full story.
In the video, posted on Facebook following the Unite Union protest on Sunday, a man is heard saying he would ‘‘bring my truck down with the bullbars''.
McDonald's spokesman Kim Bartlett today supplied the Otago Daily Times with an unedited version of the video (above, strong language warning).
"We thought you might be interested in the full version, which shows that the actions of the protesters put themselves (including children) and members of the public at risk," he said in an email.
Protester Rob Read alleged a driver ignored the picket outside the drive in entrance and carried three union members a short distance in his 4WD with bull bars.
That incident left Mr Read winded and injured another man.
The group then blocks a car from entering the drive in, and a voice can be heard encouraging the driver to ‘‘Drive, mate, drive''.
The voice then adds, ‘‘I will bring my truck down with the bull bars.'' To see the edited video click here
Unite Union South Island organiser Sharna Butcher alleged the description of the 4WD was ‘‘similar'' to that mentioned in the video.
‘‘It is stupidity. It proves it was premeditated,'' Ms Butcher, who emailed a link of the video to the Otago Daily Times, said.
Several readers have also contacted the ODT expressing concern over the actions of the dozen placard waving protesters.
A Dunedin woman, who declined to be named, said she felt ‘‘intimidated'' after pulling into the drive in when ‘‘three young men holding placards advanced towards me in my car shouting and chanting something which I could not hear properly''.
‘‘They were obviously really wound up and as I attempted to drive myself off the road to a safer spot, a young women with a loudhailer stood right in front of my car and continued to shout and chant at me, as well.''
Another reader witnessed a protester opening a passenger car door and ‘‘was yelling in with a megaphone''.
‘‘The car driver panicked and nearly caused a car pileup and just about reversed into a car behind them.''
Earlier this week, McDonald's issued a statement saying the company would not comment on the allegation as it was a matter for the police.
