Vegan activist Tash Peterson’s Coles, Woolworths Christmas protest
Tash Peterson soaked herself in fake blood and marched through supermarkets, playing audio of distressed animals.
A vegan activist who soaked herself in fake blood and claims to have “felt the fear” of slaughtered animals stormed two Perth shopping centres days before Christmas as customers watched on in disbelief while the woman blocked access to the meat aisle and played audio of distressed animals.
Activist Tash Peterson walked around Westfield Carousel and the Subiaco centre on Monday wearing a bloodied apron and carrying a fake butchered chicken under her arm.
Ms Peterson played audio of distressed pigs and cows inside slaughterhouses and held a sign that read: “Coles/Woolworths tell them the truth”.
On the back of her stained-red shirt, the 25-year-old activist had also penned several messages of protest, including: “watch dominion.com,” “your ‘food’ fought for their lives” and “that’s sure to leave a bad taste in your mouth”.
In the video streamed live to Ms Peterson’s Facebook page, families trying to secure last-minute food deals can be seen trying to avoid the activist as they try to access the meat aisle.
At one point, the activist removes her face mask and can be heard urging shoppers to not buy meat this Christmas as one man yells at her to “shut up”.
“Do you know where your Christmas ham really comes from? They were six months old when they were put into a carbon dioxide gas chamber when they suffocated to death,” she said.
“They thrashed so hard that their feet came off.
“Christmas is supposed to be a time about peace but we are putting violence on our plates.
“Your free range ham was put into a factory farm for their entire lives. They did not feel the grass or see the sunlight until they were on a truck to the slaughterhouse.”
The video shows several staff members from Woolworths and Coles trying to stop the woman from blocking shoppers from the cold meats aisle.
One Coles employee became visibly angry when the activist ignored his demands to leave and tried to snatch her sign out of her hands.
In a Woolworths store, two security guards flanked the activist as she attempted to deter shoppers from purchasing meat products.
Ms Peterson was filmed marching through Westfield Carousel after managers at both supermarketers persuaded her to leave.
The video has garnered thousands of likes on social media sites and prompted a furious debate online about the woman’s tactics.
She is a member of Direct Action Everywhere Perth, a group led by notorious Perth animal activist James Warden.
Woolworths and Coles are yet to comment on the incident.
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