‘Horrific’ footage warning
Protesters planning to publicly broadcast ’’horrific’’ animal cruelty footage in downtown Auckland risk breaking the law, New Zealand’s censorship office says.
The protesters, part of global animal rights organisation Anonymous for the Voiceless (AV), will play video footage on Queen St of animals being brutally slaughtered for meat consumption.
Auckland AV organiser Daniel Rutherford-Smith said the activists will screen either animal cruelty documentary Earthlings or footage from New Zealand animal activist group Farmwatch.
Office of Film and Literature Classification spokesperson Sue Hoyle said if AV used Earthlings they would likely be committing an offence.
The New Zealand classification of Earthlings describes the documentary as containing horrific images, including live animal skinning, slaughter, abuse, vivisection and cannibalism.
It said the graphic nature of the content and how it was depicted was likely to significantly shock and disturb children and young teenagers.
Rutherford-Smith said there would be a backlash. People would poke fun, try to ignore it or say that it didn’t happen, but he was hopeful it would open people’s eyes.
AV will be protesting on May 27.