Hundreds of protesters descended on Adidas shops across the country yesterday in solidarity with striking Chinese shoemakers.

Workers rights’ activists blocked entrances and disrupted custom at shops in London, Manchester and Oxford.

They were sending a message of solidarity to the 48,000 people striking for higher pay and 20 years of unpaid social insurance at the Yue Yuen factory in Dongguan — thought to be Adidas’s largest supplier.

 Protester Ashok Kumar told the Star: “When I was in India last year and workers went on strike at a distribution site, they saw pictures of store actions from the US. It gave them more strength.

“We, along with others from Taiwan to Istanbul to New York, are attempting to put pressure on the real employers, Adidas and Nike, to give in to workers’ demands.” 

Adidas’s Oxford Street premises in London had its shop front obstructed with placards while dozens of people shouted slogans of support for the Dongguan strikers.

Some posed for pictures, raising their fists against the shop windows.

Adidas said it is “closely monitoring” the situation in Dongguan.

A spokesperson said the firm was reallocating some orders from Yue Yuen to other suppliers.

The strike entered its 10th day yesterday.