A couple of protesters entered the field with what looked to be pink gas grenades during the NFL’s Bills-Rams season-opening game.
The event happened on Thurs night in Inglewood, California, in the middle of a Bills rout. When compared to the crowd in SoFi Stadium, who witnessed the couple running around until security brought them down, home fans only saw one smoke bomb in the end zone.
The two were quickly removed, as is typical with demonstrators and other field invaders.
While that was going on, the activist organization Direct Action Everywhere took credit for the demonstration and named the two protestors as Emek Echo and Katia Shokrai.
The two were dressed in shirts that looked to read “RightToRescue.com,” the name of a website that advocates for whistleblowers who are threatened with jail time for reporting violations at factory farms.
According to a news statement from Direct Action Everywhere, the organization wanted to draw attention to an upcoming trial of informants who raised the red flag against pig producer Smithfield Foods.
Affiliation With Protesters That Interrupted NBA Playoffs By Bills-Rams Demonstrators
It’s not the first time that Direct Action Everywhere has tried to promote its objectives by using big athletic events. 3 distinct Minnesota Timberwolves postseason games were disrupted by protesters over team owner Glen Taylor’s chicken plant.
Three protesters attempted to meet Taylor face-to-face at his courtside seat during those games: the first attempted to attach herself to the court, the second fastened herself to a basket stanchion, and the third pretended to be a referee. All three attempts were unsuccessful.
During this year’s Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, another Direct Action Everywhere sought to make a statement but was quickly defeated by winner Joey Chestnut.
