The first game of the NFL season was interrupted by activists after they stormed the field.
Direct Action Everywhere tweeted a video of the incident, saying, “DxE Activists disrupt Rams Bills with pink smoke flares to draw attention to 2 activists facing over a decade in prison for rescuing 2 sickly baby piglets from a WH Group / Smithfield Foods factory farm.”
Watch the video below:
DxE Activists disrupt Rams Bills with pink smoke flares to draw attention to 2 activists facing over a decade in prison for rescuing 2 sickly baby piglets from a WH Group / Smithfield Foods factory farm. #RightToRescue #SmithfieldTrial
— Direct Action Everywhere (@DxEverywhere) September 9, 2022
pic.twitter.com/4rnQaqxkXq
Fox News reported that the activists were identified as Emek Echo and Katia Shokrai with Direct Action Everywhere.
According to a press release issued by the organization, two of its investigators, Paul Darwin Picklesimer and Wayne Hsiung, were charged after “rescuing” piglets from Circle Four Farms in 2017.
They were reportedly charged with multiple felonies, as Fox News explained.
“Smithfield, like the animal agriculture industry itself, is a barbaric house of cards — built on unconscionable, systemic abuse, and desperate attempts to shield that abuse from the public eye,” Shokrai said in a statement.
She added, “I want the world to know that animal rescuers are facing years in prison because of this company’s undue influence on our democracy.”
Still, the Rams and Bills were able to finish the game.
The Bills dominated the Rams 31-10.
This is not the first time activists from the organization have protested during a sporting event.
One of the activists was tackled in April after storming the court during a game between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The protester at the time was identified as Sasha Zemmel.
The organization said the protests were efforts to have Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor “step down and return factory farm bailout money.”