{"id":2589,"date":"2026-08-02T16:20:44","date_gmt":"2026-08-02T16:20:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/?p=2589"},"modified":"2026-08-02T16:20:44","modified_gmt":"2026-08-02T16:20:44","slug":"peta-protests-cruelty-against-lobsters-by-putting-a-red-painted-topless-woman-outside-maine-lobster-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/?p=2589","title":{"rendered":"PETA protests cruelty against lobsters by putting a red-painted, topless woman outside Maine Lobster Festival"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-40766\" src=\"https:\/\/happiness-life.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/peta-664x350-1.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 664px) 100vw, 664px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/happiness-life.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/peta-664x350-1.jpg 664w, https:\/\/happiness-life.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/peta-664x350-1-300x158.jpg 300w\" alt=\"\" width=\"664\" height=\"350\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Credit \/ PETA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">PETA\u2019s topless lobster demonstration at the Maine Lobster Festival has taken the internet by storm.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This week, PETA organized a unique protest outside the Maine Lobster Festival, featuring a woman lying topless on a large plate painted red to mimic a lobster, alongside a lemon wedge and a bowl of melted butter.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The display carried the message: \u201cTry to Relate to Who\u2019s on Your Plate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The images quickly went viral after PETA shared them on X, sparking an online discussion that, contrary to PETA\u2019s expectations, focused less on the welfare of lobsters. Many commenters mentioned that they were now thinking about lobsters more than ever before.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A protest with a meaningful message<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While the stunt may have raised some eyebrows, the scientific basis for PETA\u2019s argument has evolved significantly in recent years, and an increasing number of governments worldwide are beginning to take it seriously.<\/p>\n<div class=\"twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered\"><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" class=\"\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=2082540961540854228&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fhappiness-life.org%2Fpeta-protests-cruelty-against-lobsters-by-putting-a-red-painted-topless-woman-outside-maine-lobster-festival%2F&amp;sessionId=0d5f88db91bf9f93333fd99579e94c384f539fb9&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-tweet-id=\"2082540961540854228\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A review of more than 300 peer-reviewed scientific studies found compelling and varied evidence that lobsters and other decapod crustaceans possess sentience and can experience pain.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2022, the UK acknowledged this in its legislation, and by December 2025, the government declared that live boiling is an unacceptable method of killing. Switzerland mandates that lobsters must be stunned prior to their death. Additionally, New Zealand and Norway have implemented legal protections for crustaceans.<\/p>\n<div class=\"618414a931e9cd97c0c9c493bb22fb8a\" data-index=\"2\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In contrast, the United States lacks any similar federal protections.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s incredibly cruel and unnecessary, and everyone can choose to go vegan and stop consuming lobsters today,\u201d stated PETA campaigner Mason Melito at the event.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk urged the festival\u2019s board to rename the event to \u201cThe Red Death Festival\u201d and to substitute the lobster-eating contest with \u201cThe Heat Challenge,\u201d where participants would face progressively higher temperatures to mimic the experience of lobsters being boiled alive.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNo meal is worth such cruelty,\u201d she emphasized.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A decade of activism<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">PETA has been protesting the Maine Lobster Festival for over ten years. A similar topless protest in 2016 received a comparable response, with photos circulating widely, people laughing, and then heading inside to enjoy lobster.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last year, the organization took a different route, filing a lawsuit against the festival and the City of Rockland to classify the live steaming of lobsters as a public nuisance. However, a state judge dismissed the case in January 2026, ruling that the activity did not meet the legal definition of a nuisance.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After losing in court, PETA returned to the drawing board.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reactions varied from supportive to puzzled to openly hungry.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPETA, I\u2019m pretty sure whatever goal they were trying to achieve against people eating lobsters missed the mark,\u201d commented one observer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One person provided a more favorable evaluation: \u201cThe aim is to engage. They absolutely nailed it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">PETA likely doesn\u2019t believe that a topless woman covered in red paint will deter anyone from ordering lobster. Instead, it hopes the images will be circulated widely, prompting people to consider lobster welfare the next time they glance at a menu.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Credit \/ PETA PETA\u2019s topless lobster demonstration at the Maine Lobster Festival has taken the internet by storm. This week, PETA organized a unique protest outside the Maine Lobster Festival, &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2],"class_list":["post-2589","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-trending","tag-breaking-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2589","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2589"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2589\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2590,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2589\/revisions\/2590"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2589"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2589"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2589"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}