16-year-old protester dragged from field at Levi’s Stadium

SANTA CLARA » A 16-yearold animal rights activist took her protest to Levi’s Stadium Monday night, running out on the field in the opening minutes of the national College Championship game between Alabama and Clemson.

Security quickly tackled Zoe Rosenberg as she unfurled her #RighttoRescue banner, and dragged her off the field. She was taken into custody, given a ticket for illegally entering the field and released later that evening. The protest was not aired by ESPN, which carried the game.

The demonstration was part of an ongoing campaign against farms that the organization Direct Action Everywhere says practice cruel and inhumane methods in their poultry operations. Direct Action Everywhere has focused much of its protests in Sonoma County, where there is a large poultry industry.

The target of Monday night’s protest, as well as a long-running demonstration, was Petaluma Poultry, which supplies chicken to a number of organizations, including one of Levi’s concession vendors, Starbird, a fast-casual chicken-centric restaurant with locations in San Jose, Sunnyvale and Foster City, as well as at the stadium.

The protests have put farmers on edge and prompted the Sonoma County Farm Bureau to conduct a workshop in late October about the rights farmers have in relationship to protests.

Direct Action Everywhere conducted a protest at Petaluma Poultry in late September, which resulted in the arrest of 58 activists, who were charged with felony conspiracy, felony burglary and misdemeanor trespass. Two employees of the farm were injured during the protest.

The animal activists claim they have the right to enter private property to rescue animals in distress, but farmers say the group is wrongly interpreting the law and interfering with their businesses. Farmers have defended their operations, disputing claims by the activists.

Requests for comments from Starbird and Petaluma Poultry on Tuesday went unanswered.

Rosenberg, who lives in San Luis Obispo, said she was questioned and threatened by police after she was taken from the field. She refused to answer questions, she said, citing her Fifth Amendment protections. She said they wanted to know the names of others involved with the protest and threatened her with juvenile hall.

Rosenberg has been working to rescue farm animals, primarily chickens, since she founded an animal sanctuary when she was 11 years old. She plans to work for legislation that would end the slaughterhouse industry and ban inhumane conditions at factory farms. She also wants to educate people about how intelligent, loving and companionable chickens are.

“People treat them basically like garbage,” she said. “I want them to be just as respected and loved as cats and dogs.”