Topless vegan activist slams ‘sexist’ cop request during Perth protest

A vegan activist called a police officer “sexist” in an awkward interaction after he asked her to cover her breasts during a public protest.

A vegan activist called a police officer “sexist” in an awkward interaction after he asked her to cover her breasts during a public protest.

Tash Peterson, 28, from Western Australia, was in Perth’s Hay Street Mall on Sunday holding a sign that read: “Kangaroos shot and joeys beaten to death for Nike shoes.”

A video on her Instagram page shows she was wearing a kangaroo onesie, pulled down to expose the top half of her body.

The clip shows Ms Peterson being approached by three police officers who ask her to cover up her chest, which is painted with pink body paint.

“We’re just asking you politely to put a top on,” one of the officers says to which the activist replies: “I was just standing there speaking out.

“No I’m not putting a top on,” she continues. “I don’t abide to sexist requests.”

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Tash Peterson uploaded the video onto her Instagram page. Picture: Instagram

The officer says he doesn’t think what he’s asking is a sexist request.

“Well, there’s topless men walking around all the time and I don’t think he’d have three male police officers behind him, telling him to put a top on,” she replies.

The officer then describes Ms Peterson’s stunt as disorderly behaviour in public.

“How is it insulting, offensive or threatening language or behaviour?” Ms Peterson asks, explaining this is how disorderly is described in legislation.

“So how am I breaking Section 74A in the legislation?”

The officer then looks at his phone before saying: “No problems.”

The activist posted footage of her interaction with the police officers to her social media profiles and told followers not to let them “push you around”.

“Stand up for your rights and stand up for non-human animal rights!” she wrote.

Ms Peterson has been slapped with fines over her protests before. Picture: Facebook

“Police abusing their power, banning me from peacefully protesting in a public space (I was standing in a public area outside a Nike store) because someone complained (apparently that means it’s disorderly when someone complains) and according to these police officers, the average person is offended by a topless woman.”

Ms Peterson also posted footage of the cardboard sign she was holding being thrown out of her hands by a passing shopper.

“Do you want to come have a chat mate or are you going to walk off like a p**ck,” she called after the man – who decided to keep walking.

The protest comes after Ms Peterson was slapped with a $3500 fine over two shirtless protests, including one at a luxury Perth boutique smeared in what she claimed was her own blood.

Ms Peterson at the Perth Royal Show. Picture: Facebook

Ms Peterson staging a stunt involving a dead lamb inside a Melbourne Coles. Picture: Instagram

Peterson stood trial over both protests, one outside the Boatshed Markets in Cottesloe in December 2020 and another at the Louis Vuitton store in Perth CBD in August last year, denying her behaviour was unlawful or offensive.

Painting herself pink with bloodstains and brandishing signs, Ms Peterson claimed Nike was responsible for the “holocaust of these delicate creatures”.

The stunt lasted roughly eight minutes before security escorted her away from the shopfront. From there, she continued shouting her speech through the packed weekend crowd.