Animal rights activists protest Wendy's

by MIKE MARTIN, UPI Science Correspondent

TYSONS CORNER, Virginia, July 3 (UPI) -- In a July 3rd declaration of independence for commercially-bred livestock, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals -- PETA -- staged a well-attended, loud, and very public demonstration against the Wendy's restaurant chain Tuesday.

Over 150 demonstrators, many from the nearby Animal Rights 2001 conference at the McLean, Virginia Hilton, descended on a local Wendy's franchise to stage a so-called "counter attack." Led by James Cromwell, who starred as farmer Hoggett in the hit movie "Babe," a centerpiece cadre of four protestors -- Cromwell, PETA activists Jay Kelly, Lisa Lange, and Tracy Reiman -- quietly entered the Wendy's lunch line.

When counter attendants asked for their order, Cromwell and the others suddenly turned to the crowded restaurant, raised banners with the words "Wendy's tortures animals," and loudly exclaimed "This restaurant is closed for animal cruelty," words that quickly became a chanted refrain as the protestors hopped on the counters to set the stage for the larger demonstration outside.

Customers watched intently but were unshaken.

"I don't know what to say," said one woman. "People seem to be more entertained than anything."

"I know there's an animal rights convention in town so none of this surprises me," said another patron with her 10-year-old daughter.

Wendy's officials, who during the previous hour stood outside planning for the protest, remained calm throughout, reassuring patrons.

"Employees and guests are our major concern," a man who would identify himself only as the chief operating officer for the local Wendy's franchisee, told United Press International.

After five minutes of heated chanting by the small group indoors, plain clothes police officers entered the restaurant and handcuffed Cromwell and the others, forcing them off the counters to the floor.

"Stop -- you're hurting me, you're hurting me," cried PETA protestor Tracy Reiman, as a police officer pressed her hands behind her back.

Even as officers forced Cromwell face down on the linoleum floor, cuffed him and led him out the door eyeglasses askew, the red-faced actor remained unperturbed, chanting between every breath, "Wendy's torture's animals; Wendy's tortures animals."
No patrons left the restaurant during the sit in.

The action heated up in the Wendy's parking lot as demonstrators arrived by bus, followed by some 30 Fairfax County police officers, many of whom had been pulled off a funeral procession for a slain fellow officer.

Led by bullhorn-toting local animal rights activist Miyun Park, the crowd chanted "Animal cruelty, we say know. Factory farms have got to go" and "No excuse for animal abuse. Boycott Wendy's now."

Protestors donning pig and chicken costumes led placard-carrying crowds along both sides of the nearby state highway in front of the restaurant. A ten-year-old boy passing on his bike took up a banner and joined the chanting.

Cheers went up as Salt Lake City animal rights activist Sean Diener slipped past vigilant police and unfurled a banner over the restaurant roof that exclaimed "Wendy's Closed for Animal Cruelty."

Police arrested five people -- Cromwell, Diener, PETA activists Kelly, Lange, and Reiman -- and quickly quelled two minor skirmishes.

"Tracy Reiman is my boss and usually one of the quiet ones in this office," PETA public affairs officer Jennifer Knox told UPI from Norfolk, Va. "As for James Cromwell -- he's definitely my hero, especially after this."

"On the scale of these things, as protests go, these protestors followed their word on breaking up at a certain time," Fairfax County police captain and civil disturbance officer D.B. Portee told UPI from the scene. "We dealt with this successfully and so did Wendy's and as far as I'm concerned had no major problems."

Portee said Virginia state law is explicit on the behavior of protestors.

"They have a constitutional right to demonstrate, but they cannot protest on private property or block ingress and egress," Portee told UPI. "As you saw, when they did those things we either moved them along or arrested them."