An animal rights activist ran onto the Levi’s Stadium turf Monday night during the 49ers’ game against the Los Angeles Rams and suffered the fate anyone risks when running onto a field full of football players.
After the activist, who was carrying a device releasing pink smoke, made his way across the field toward the Rams’ sideline, he turned around to avoid security officers. At that point, two Rams players began to pursue him.
Veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner threw a shoulder to drop the protester to the turf. Linebacker and Kennedy (Richmond) High product Takkarist McKinley was also involved in stopping the protester.
49ers coach Kyle Shanahan was asked postgame if he saw the protester running onto the field.
“I saw Bobby Wagner take somebody out,” Shanahan said. “I thought it was kind of cool to see.”
The activist was wearing a shirt that read “RIGHT TO RESCUE .COM”. That domain appears to be operated by Berkeley-based animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere, also known as DXE. The group sent a press release saying that the action was meant to bring attention to a trial that began Monday involving two members of DXE who face more than 10 years in prison over allegedly sneaking into a Utah Smithfield pig farm and smuggling out two piglets.
Direct Action Everywhere has organized several high-profile protests at sporting events in recent years.
A woman affiliated with the group glued herself to the court at a Minnesota Timberwolves playoff game to protest against Wolves owner Glen Taylor’s chicken farming business, Rembrandt Foods, including the killing of more than 5 million birds due to a bird flu outbreak.
A group of Direct Action Everywhere protesters also chained themselves to the racetrack at Golden Gate Fields in March 2021 and later were sued by the racetrack.
OMG BOBBY WAGNER JUST TRUCKED THE FAN THAT RAN ON THE FIELD pic.twitter.com/uwoEzkrFxc
— Cameron Salerno (@cameronsalerno1) October 4, 2022
