Animal rights activists detained near G-20 summit venue for naked protest

Animal rights activists detained near G-20 summit venue for naked protest

2010-11-10 02:47:45 GMT+7 (ICT)

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (BNO NEWS) -- Two female animal rights activists on Tuesday were detained after being protesting naked near the G-20 summit venue. The two women were demanding everyone to go vegetarian.

At around 1:00 p.m. local time, police forces detained Ashley Bruno, a 24-year-old Canadian and Han Sae-mi, a 34-year-old Korean activists. They are members of the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth (CARE) respectively.

The two activists were wearing only basic underwear and had their bodies painted in blue. The women brandished signs that read "Save the Planet. Go Vegetarian." The messages were written in both English and Korean.

South Korean police arrived within five minutes and took them away and covered them up. No charges have been filed yet but police officials said that they are looking into their motives before deciding on filing charges against the pair.

Last month, a special law on G-20 security was enacted. Under such law, rallies and demonstrations are prohibited within a two-kilometer radio (1.24 miles) of the summit venue from November 8 to 12.

"Although it was just a performance, it falls into the category of an unregistered rally or demonstration by a group of two," an official at the Gangnam Police Station said. "As they wore underwear and put on body painting, we have to see whether they are subject to obscenity charges."

Labor activist Lee Chang-geun informed last week that a group of demonstrators claiming for workers' rights plan will hold a major rally to mark the beginning of the G-20 summit.

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