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Published 12:55 IST, June 7th 2019

VIDEO: Indian-American animal rights activist shouts at Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos during onstage interview, gets arrested

Amazon Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos was interrupted and shouted at by an animal rights activist Priya Sawhney during "fireside chat"

Reported by: Tanmay Patange
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Amazon Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos was interrupted and shouted at by an animal rights activist during his "fireside chat" with Amazon’s Director of Forecasting Jenny Freshwater at the company's Re:MARS conference in Las Vegas on Thursday. Here's what happened.

A 30-year-old Priya Sawhney, an Indian-American activist with Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), rushed the stage to protest about chicken farms where Bezos was explaining Amazon's plans to send satellites in space. Sawhney got up on the stage and tried to raise the concerns about the condition of Amazon-affiliated Chicken farms. Sawhney also shouted at Bezos that she had been inside of Amazon-affiliated chicken fans. However, she was quickly surrounded and ushered away by security guards.

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“You’re the president of Amazon and you can help the animals,” said the protestor.

Sawhney was later arrested on the charges of trespassing. The investigation is currently ongoing into the matter and police said that she could be facing additional charges.

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Watch the video below:

Although Amazon doesn’t own or operate chicken farms, the company purchases chicken meat from suppliers (Petaluma Poultry and Pitman Family Farms) that have been targeted by DxE activists in the past.

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DxE activists claim to have visited a dozen farms which supply Whole Foods, an American supermarket chain owned by Amazon. DxE is also running a petition asking the Petaluma Police to investigate at Petaluma Poultry. The message reads:

"Ask the Petaluma Police to investigate criminal animal cruelty at a massive factory farm where hens are starving to death."

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So far, the petition on the DxE website has reached 3,660 signatures.

Meanwhile, one Twitter user said: "Someone actually stood up and made a difference. Sometimes that is the kind of courage needed to make them notice. Applause for the human that stood up for the defenseless."

 

12:55 IST, June 7th 2019