Two carnivorous men protested Veganism at a London vegan event by eating dead, raw squirrels on Monday. They were arrested and found guilty of disorderly behavior and fined hundreds of dollars for causing “significant distress to members of the public.”
The men, Deonisy Khlebnikov, 22, and Gatis Lagzdins, 29, consumed the uncooked squirrels at the Soho Vegan Food Market on March 30.
Footage of the incident shows Lagzdins and Khlebnikov speaking with concerned shoppers and police officers while holding a dead squirrel. Lagzdins, who was wearing a shirt that reads “Veganism = Malnutrition,” can be seen in photographs taking a bite out of the dead squirrel.
bloke ate a squirrel and got arrested for it lmao pic.twitter.com/jog3Wz2e10
— Diora (@DioraBoros) March 30, 2019
— Diora (@DioraBoros) March 30, 2019
— Diora (@DioraBoros) March 30, 2019
Daily Mail reported:
The pair denied using disorderly behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress at a trial at City of London Magistrates’ Court last month. They were found guilty yesterday at Westminster Magistrates Court.
Natalie Clines, from the CPS, said: ‘Deonisy Khlebnikov and Gatis Lagzdins claimed they were against veganism and were raising awareness about the dangers of not eating meat when they publicly consumed raw squirrels.
‘But by choosing to do this outside a vegan food stall and continuing with their disgusting and unnecessary behaviour despite requests to stop, including from a parent whose child was upset by their actions, the prosecution was able to demonstrate that they had planned and intended to cause distress to the public.
‘Their pre-meditated actions caused significant distress to members of the public, including young children.’
Khlebnikov was fined £200 plus costs and a surcharge. Lagzdins, who did not show up to the hearing, was fined £400 plus costs and a surcharge.
In the footage Lagszins also had what appeared to be a roasted woodcock tied around his neck and a vest top donning the message ‘VEGANISM = MALNUTRITION’.
He added that vegans see veganism as a religion and added: ‘They blindly believe we can go from eating meat to just eating plants like a cow, but we can’t as humans.’
A spokesperson for The Vegan Society dismissed Sv3ridge’s claims at the time, saying: ‘It is perfectly possible to get all the nutrients your body needs as a vegan; the British Dietetic Association shares the message that vegan diets are suitable for people of all ages and life stages.’
‘There were protests at the venue and it is in relation to that public order arrests were made,’ a spokesperson said.
Watch the full squirrel eating event here:
