Animal rights – Which countries prohibit picket participants to wear things, which hide their faces?
A member of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) was arrested today in Vilnius, Lithuania, because he protested wearing a costume of a bear, a photo available at : http://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/article.php?id=10966506
(A protest against killing of Canadian black bears for fur hats of British guards).
Lithuanian Law of Meetings prohibits to hide the face during a picket. One commentator said that only two other countries prohibit that: North Korea and Uganda.
Is it really a rare legislation? Is it legal to protest in animal costume in your country?
The same happened with a “black bear” in Latvia: http://www.delfi.lv/archive/article.php?id=15821929
The Latvian source reports that the number of policemen, who came to detain protesters, was twice as higher than this one of protesters (4 protesters). I guess that a bear looked very naturally, so they took precautions. LOL.
I won’t pretend to know all the laws of the USA, however, intent can be part of the law. While generally it is not, it may be in this case.
If one wears a mask to conceal his/her identity while in the commission of a crime, we would have a clear case of criminal intent. If one wears it in a jovial ruse, say to a costume party, there would generally be no intent to commit a crime.
The Lithuanian law could be aimed at making sure that a protester does not become anonymous the in case that protester becomes a rioter to boot. Given PETA’s recent history as an organization that feels that the end justifies the means (burning auto dealerships, attacking fishing vessels, shooting at hunters), I can understand the caution being expressed by the locals there.
The protesters in Vilnius, were most likely informed that for a legal protest/march to be conducted, that no masks are permitted.
The “animal rights” crowds are known to push the envelope when it comes to following rules. Perhaps it was that, or, the cops on the beat in Lithuania don’t care much for the looks of bears.
It is irrelevant :Any country, person, or group that feels they have a right or a need to harvest, kill, or detain any type of bear should be imploded on the public square, Naked, yeah, that’s it! Kill bears go directly to the square, then on to hell with you, turd!