DxE News of the Week:

Felony Charges Filed Against DxE Organizer Sierra Post In North Carolina, August 17 – August 23, 2018

DxE News round-up by Rasa Petrauskaite

PLANT BASED NEWS: DXE’S SIERRA POST ARRESTED AFTER 'REMOVING SICK PIGLETS' FROM FACTORY FARM

Sierra Liliann Post, 20, a DxE organizer in North Carolina, was arrested and charged with breaking and entering, and larceny - both felonies - and first-degree trespass - a misdemeanor - on Friday, August 17, for rescuing three sick piglets from a Smithfield Foods-owned farm in Laurinburg, NC last year. She was later released on $3000 bail. The article features both the DxE perspective and the Smithfield perspective on DxE investigations. Wayne Hsiung is quoted as saying, “This is an attempt at intimidation of nonviolent activism. When an animal is being mistreated, whether a dog, a cat or a pig, they deserve compassion. Those who help a suffering animal should be praised and not punished.” Smithfield spoke to Plant Based News earlier this year about the investigation (and the video that DxE released to alert the public to what the activists uncovered): “The audit results show no findings of animal mistreatment,” a Smithfield spokesperson told the publication. “Based on the review of our animal care experts, the video appears to be highly edited and even staged in an attempt to manufacture an animal care issue where one does not exist. The video features blatant inaccuracies and assertions, which could not be farther from the truth. The video’s creators, who claim to be animal care advocates, risked the life of the animal they stole and the lives of the animals living on our farms by trespassing and violating our strict biosecurity policy that prevents the spread of disease. This policy is particularly critical to the wellbeing of our piglets – the animals they claim to be rescuing.” For the record, DxE has strict biosecurity protocol that is followed during open rescue investigations including the Smithfield investigation. Also, the video was not staged, an absurd claim by Smithfield.

NBC BAY AREA: DXE ACTIVISTS IN “AMAZON CREEPER” COSTUMES PROTEST AMAZON AT UC BERKELEY

On Sunday, August 19, from 9 am until 4 pm, DxE activists held large TV screens displaying animal cruelty at local farms the group has investigated and protested the selling of animal products by Amazon/ Whole Foods. Many activists wore the “Amazon Creeper” costume, which they say is meant to resemble “an evil Amazon robot.” The protest took place near the Amazon store on Sproul Plaza. NBC Bay Area’s coverage featured an interview with Cassie King during two evening news segments, as well as footage showing the url for DxE’s oneclickcruelty.com website, which explains in detail why DxE protests Amazon. Also, Daily Cal covered the protest. The headline read: “Animal rights activists protest Amazon, sale of animal products.” Lewis Bernier and Kitty Jones were quoted. Lewis said, “We’re out here today to bring attention to the way Amazon uses and abuses animals, and the ways it is complicit in animal cruelty.”