Vegan activist abuses diners at WA seafood restaurant
An aggressive vegan activist abused diners as they sat to eat at a West Australian seafood restaurant.
Tash Peterson, the Perth-based animal rights campaigner, filmed her stunt that took place at Bathers Beach House in Fremantle and uploaded it to her Instagram account.
In the footage, Ms Peterson can be seen leading a group of five sign wielding people into the restaurant.
Ms Peterson started yelling at the diners “This is an emergency. I repeat, this is an emergency! The whole ocean is under threat. Right at this moment there are millions of fish, dolphins and whales being ripped from the open in massive trawler nets and they are suffocating to death. This is the largest holocaust in history.”
She was warned by a staffer that she was trespassing and after shouting at a few more diners, then climbing up on the bench to yell out to the crowd, she moved outside.
Peterson was shouting things such as “animal abusers” and “fish feel pain”.
She later defended her approach saying it turned out to be a success due to media coverage.
“This is how social change is created. This is how gay rights went from a criminal offence to a constitutional right. This is how women went from having no voting rights to being able to vote. They all disrupted. They were highly criticised and disliked by the majority. But within a short period of time – the majority supported their rights and unjust laws were changed.
“Disruption is the greatest weapon of social change. It is essential to disrupt if we want the world to listen and talk about animal rights, and it is vital to the movement’s success.”
The stunt received a mixed reaction.
“Honestly this is just so disrespectful,” was one woman’s reply to Peterson’s post.
“Let people live their life and enjoy a meal with their friends or family without being yelled at. This way of ‘protesting’ is not ever going to make anyone want to go vegan.”
However one supporter wrote, “Great work Tash and I know the animals would be very thankful for you. You have clearly brought so much awareness to this fish massacre that needs to be abolished.”
Irit Jackson, 4th May 2021
