Animal Rights Protestors Face Abuse in Salem

(SALEM) - Members of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals protested in front of the Kentucky Fried Chicken on South Commercial in Salem Saturday with strong accusations about the way the chain does away with chickens eventually bound for their buckets.

Charges include live boiling and other things that, if true, are distasteful at minimum at first impression. `It`s all about saving money," says Jory VanAntwerp of P.E.T.A.

KFC national media people do not work on weekends, according to their phone message. That does not mean they don`t have a comment, it just means we need to wait until Monday to learn what it may be.

They also do not allow their store managers to address something like a protest in front of their property. But to be fair, the KFC store on South Commercial is just one of the places where the Colonel`s chickens make their final appearance. It certainly is not where any of the alleged inhumane bird treatment takes place.

I covered the story because I wanted to know what each side had to say. P.E.T.A. has gained national attention time and time again and many critics over the years believe the group goes too far with their animal advocacy.

The first thing I asked Jory VanAntwerp of P.E.T.A. was simple; if he believes KFC is basically OK, except for the issue at hand involving the way he says KFC chickens are killed, `Yes, I love chicken. I`m not a vegetarian, I have nothing against the place personally, I just want people to understand that things have to be improved, and outward cruelty is not acceptable. It`s not a problem with eating chicken."

After interviewing the protestors and securing the TV camera in my car, I went into the restaurant to see if the store manager had any comment, or at least a national KFC media telephone number to call, which is the usual routine when it comes to fast food and news stories.

Before I had a chance to even talk to the store manager, a man standing in front of me in line turned around and shook his head, saying eventually something I can`t repeat here, and I asked him what his problem was. He obviously took me to be one of the P.E.T.A. members, and I told him I was a reporter covering a story, trying to be fair and give the folks at KFC a chance.

With all the grace and elegance of a high school bully, this guy was really looking down his nose at the protestors outside, and me, right in front of him, but he didn`t have the guts to back up his smart and foul mouth, which I gave him every opportunity to do.

You see, Bullies don`t like that. They hate it when people stand up to them, and they certainly don`t like people who bite back. The last thing I told him as he walked out is that he is prejudice.

I should have seen it coming. Why would somebody order a bucket of gravy and no food to put it on?

I learned later that he walked promptly out to the protestors, took the large bucket of hot gravy and the cup of icewater, and threw them at the people standing along the busy street. He assaulted two non-violent people, he littered the ground, and he could have caused a terrible accident on South Commercial on a busy Saturday.

Unfortunately, I was inside talking to the manager with my back turned when this chunky Caucasian guy in his late 20`s with short brown hair, a baseball hat, a dark blue service station style jacket and a bad attitude, assaulted those people by trying to burn them with flying hot gravy, and then lobbing the water at the man I had just interviewed.

I wish I could have been rolling the camera then. Instead, I was inside KFC trying to be fair and get a statement for the restaurant`s side of the story.

The guy who didn`t back up his mouth in the restaurant had all the courage it takes to throw things like a pathetic child. Our news team is on it, with a pretty good idea where this guy works. It just might end in some embarrassing moments for a local employer. The pen is mightier than the sword, and a Web news site is like a pen at light speed. Maybe the guy wants to make a name for himself, who knows?

One thing is for sure; I will cover whatever P.E.T.A. does around here now. I`ll do it because I learned today that a nazi-like spirit is alive and well in Salem. The power of civil assembly and protest, used by Americans like Dr. Martin Luther King to bring about radical change in the treatment of an entire race of people, is what Americans have died for on the battlefields all of these years.

People who read my Op/Ed`s know I become very passionate, and I want to be clear that this could have been a group of environmentalists, war protestors, abortion protestors, and I would feel no differently about it. Whether people like it or not, this is a free country and people have the right to express themselves.

They do not however, have a right to bully and assault people, and a certain individual in South Salem that we plan to identify ASAP is in my opinion, a disgrace among our fellow citizens, and certainly a poor representative for his cause.

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Comments

Comments are Closed on this story.

Anonymous June 1, 2007 1:23 pm (Pacific time)

I hope that now that the South Salem KFC is no longer their and demolished that the other newspaper's will report it along with the News-station's.

Seth November 6, 2006 10:12 am (Pacific time)

Police in Ahoskie, North Carolina arrested Cook and Hinkle on June 15, 2005 near a shopping-center dumpster, from which they recovered 18 dead pets in trash bags. Thirteen additional dead animals were recovered from the PETA-owned van in which the two were traveling. Witnesses from the Bertie County (NC) Animal Shelter and the Ahoskie Animal Hospital later confirmed that the two PETA employees had collected animals earlier that dayincluding puppies and kittenson the promise that PETA would find them adoptive homes. www.petakillsanimals.com/petaTrial3.cfm

Jory March 19, 2006 7:20 pm (Pacific time)

If anybody else would like to make a difference in these and other animals lives, just send me an email and I will get back to you, it's that easy!!! TheStoryOfJory2@yahoo.com

Arianna March 15, 2006 11:18 pm (Pacific time)

As Jory said, though we may consider ourselves members of PETA, we only see eye to eye on issues of animal cruelty. We, for the most part, don't think it's cruel to eat animals; that's what they are there for. But to torture them, scald them alive, rip off their beaks, and feed them so many hormones that they grow so fat that they literally cannot walk; we believe that is something that is unethical and can be avoided. The problem is that major corporations, like Yum! Brands (the corporation under which KFC operates) want to save money, instead of give proper care to the animals. As both of us said in our interviews, we are not vegetarians. I used to be for a while, I was a vegan for about a year, but that lifestyle didn't work for me. We're not conformists to PETA's group, even to the point of where we violate PETA's primary lifestyle of not eating meat. The Animal Liberation Front (ALF) participates in illegal activities, such as bombings and break-ins. We are not criminals, and we are not a part of the ALF. We choose not to harm animals; that doesn't mean we're going to harm humans to do so. We choose to protest, which is our civil liberty. We have the first amendment right to peaceable assembly and petition, and we did not, nor do we group ourselves with those who do, break the law. We see a problem, and we look to change it, and that's all. Other people may think we're stupid, or it's a waste of time, or that we somehow deserve to have gravy and water thrown at us, and that's their right. But we're just trying to make a change for what we think is the better.

Kevin Loder March 15, 2006 12:36 pm (Pacific time)

That is so awful that it got violent; I've never been attacked before at a protest; but people do tend to get nasty at KFC protests. If you haven't visited peta.org yet, you should

Michael Heggen March 14, 2006 9:41 pm (Pacific time)

Good piece of reporting. Good to see protesters (of anything) portrayed in a reasonably light instead of as wackos. I'm curious to see the follow-up on the gravy heckler....

Squirly T March 14, 2006 8:17 pm (Pacific time)

Joe March needs to back up his comments with facts.

Jory March 14, 2006 7:44 pm (Pacific time)

PETA as an organization has its agenda, as we all do. Because an individual joins PETA's network does not mean that person automatically inherits all of PETA's opinions and viewpoints. I support PETA in general and I understand where the concerns come from that I am reading in this forum, I might even agree with a couple of them, however; that does not change the fact that animals are being tortured to death everyday. Without PETA many of us would never learn of these inhumane and unacceptable practices. Most of the activists I know pick their battles and do not just conform to every one of PETA's viewpoints. The majority of activists are not violent or 'over the top'. We do what we do because if WE didn't stand up for animals who are being abused and taken advantage of, who would? Please understand, we do not work for PETA and we stand out on the street with signs because we CHOOSE to. We feel it is important that others learn of these injustices against helpless animals that do not have a voice of their own. To respond to Surfer Joe`s comment; Most activists, including myself, who operate with the help of PETA, are level headed, mature and caring individuals. We understand that people will most certainly tune us out if we begin defacing and burning property, assaulting individuals or acting in an unlawful way. We respect people and their property as much as we respect the animals which we stand up for. All we are asking is that the general public gain some conscious ground by holding the companies and/or organizations responsible for the cruelty and mistreatment they cause to these animals. For many years letters have been written, phone calls have been made and national media attention has been directed at KFC but still they take NO action. All that is left is affecting their bottom line. Cut into their profit and as their wallets shrink their eyes just might open. Thank You from Those Who Cannot, Jory Van Antwerp Event Organizer

David March 14, 2006 4:57 am (Pacific time)

I read an encylopedic entry on PETA before commenting on 'What Everyone Already Knows' (WEAK), and PETA's got an mixed history, but a lot of it is socially positive and supported by prominant, non-violent citizens. I wouldn't join it, but this guilt by association crud has got to go. Even the current conservative government doesn't believe that PETA membership = probable terrorist support or they would be GONE as individuals and as a public, non-profit organization. Don't be part of the echo chamber preaching mindless fear, and creating an atmosphere where people like gravy guy don't know what to do with their anxiety except take it out on the first non-conformist who draws their attention. Snap out of it! The string of Salem bombings you allude to as reason to alienate and monitor these kids DOESN'T EXIST OUTSIDE THE NIGHTMARE IN YOUR HEAD. Wake up! Intolerant people and irrational people seem to often be the same group of people. If you don't stand up to them and let them know you support free speech, you might as well wear an "I'm with stupid" T-shirt.

Surfer Joe March 13, 2006 4:22 pm (Pacific time)

I know PETA has critics, but I personally have not thought of them as straight domestic terrorists, nor have I paid enough attention to it I'm sure. Interpretation has to be part of it, but either way I appreciate Joe still seeing that rash actions on the part of the gravy thrower are not necessary or acceptable. As the reporter on the story, I was automatically grouped with the protestors, not cool. Back to the first part, ELF's name is in the news today for spray painting a housing project, that certainly seems like a more radical act. I would like to know what the local P.E.T.A. members think of Joe's thought.

Carrie March 13, 2006 8:23 am (Pacific time)

Thank you very much for your story. Although I do not agree with PETA, I do agree with your view on the great freedom that our country has earned for freedom of cival assembly and the right to protest. I also appreciate your actions on standing up to a "Bully". Good job and keep up the great local reporting!

kaitlyn March 12, 2006 6:36 pm (Pacific time)

i'm a PETA member my animal rights group is based out of vancouver, Washington, we have protests in front of KFC all the time. The worst that has ever happened to us is this Crazy old women flipping us off. that guy's a freaking moron

Arianna March 12, 2006 5:37 pm (Pacific time)

It was fortunate that neither Jory nor I was hurt by that idiot. It really surprised me how many people were violent. All we did was stand there and hold signs; the only thing we ever said to people who didn't ask us questions was "KFC Tortures Chickens!" Gravy Guy wasn't the only one to get violent. There was a woman who came over and blew smoke in Jory's face, and a woman who screamed that we shouldn't be wasting our time at KFC when babies were being aborted everyday. And all we did was hold up a sign, mostly silently. People are weird.

Jackie March 12, 2006 10:42 am (Pacific time)

Good article, I can't wait to hear more about it. Hope it comes out of Salem to the broader market.

Joe March 12, 2006 8:44 am (Pacific time)

A little water? Eh. Hot gravy? Arrest him for assault. PETA on the other hand is a domestic terror group. Anyone who joins knows this and by default supports it. PETA members should be treated like gang members and monitored closely. It doesn't matter that they are my neighbors. It is somebody's neighbor that keeps blowing things up.

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