9 Sept 2006

Three PETA activists deported from Singapore over planned protest

Taken from Channel News Asia,
Saturday September 9, 10:17 AM

SINGAPORE - Three animal rights activists with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have been deported.

They had planned to hold a demonstration outside a KFC restaurant along Rochor Road.

There was no demonstration.

PETA's executive director Jason Baker, an American, and 20-year-old Canadian Ashley Fruno had planned to hold a naked demonstration outside the KFC restaurant - wearing just a banner - to protest against what they called the fast food chain's abusive treatment of chickens.

In a statement, police said they received a call on Thursday afternoon about suspicious behaviour.

When they arrived, they found two banners in the woman's possession.

Police said she was reported to have cooped herself in a chicken cage clad in a yellow bikini in Bangkok and went topless outside a KFC outlet in Canada.

Separately, police on Friday received another call about a Filipino woman, Astudilo Sonia Gueverra, behaving suspiciously in Bencoolen Street.

Based on their profile and records, police assessed they would all be participating as PETA activists in an anti-KFC campaign without a permit.

Immigration authorities had cancelled their Social Visit Passes and they were asked to leave Singapore by Friday.

At least two of them were believed to have left the country on a flight on Friday at about 3pm.

The police statement added it would not allow any individuals or groups whose presence may compromise its security arrangements for the IMF/World Bank meetings.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Paranoid singapore.
Immagine if there is a protest, do you really think singapore knows how to handle it? They might overreact. Singapore on the front page of the world's major newspapers with photos of 10,000 riot policemen shooting at 3 korean farmers...Major loss of face.
And since no one knows how to handle the situation, they made sure not even mosquitoes could disturb the event.
It's funny though how Singapore wants to project an image of a fun, modern and global city yet they are just conveying a completely different message.
Good article here
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/09/08/news/sing.php

galven said...

They could have thought of a better excuse than IMF. eg. nudity, or the usual Asian values and disturbing peace. This is a joke.

dfgd said...

The international NGO's will not accept these blanket bans in the same passive way as Singaporean based NGO's. The butt of the joke is the PAP not the people of Singapore.

The march on the 16th might show the world that the PAP do not speak for all Singaporeans.

Anonymous said...

you are being optimistic; the march will be a washout like batam protests

PAP knows it does not speak for all singaporeans; no ruling party does; the question is how much minority want to be heard and what room the ruling party provides to let them be heard; I am pessimistic

Anonymous said...

I don't think many Singaporeans would turn up for the march. There is no protest culture. They are scared of being arrrested and their jobs and education would be adversely affected. They would probably also not get family support if they are arrested by the police for breaking laws.

Anonymous said...

singapore have managed to completely fuck up the IMF and world bank conference. I cannot waqit for the stick the banana republic will receive from the likes of Gordon Brown when the conference opens on Monday.
this is certainly the last international conference the island will ever hold.

Anonymous said...

This was reported in the newspapers as if it was something S'poreans ought to be proud of.. and since when have the police been able to track down phone signals? Sounds like a gross invasion of our privacy if you ask me.

Anonymous said...

Screw the IMF and World Bank. Singapore does not need to borrow money from them. They are so racist they blocked the formation of the Asian Monetery Fund.

Screw the protestors, too. They are protesting over things relevant to their home countries and not so much to Singapore, so I don't care if they don't get to protest in Singapore.

Also, PETA is not a benign organization. They kill over 2000 domestic and wild animals a year, and support arsonists and other criminal elements to advance their cause. See:
http://www.petakillsanimals.com/petaTrial2.cfm
http://www.consumerfreedom.com/news_detail.cfm/headline/3045

Anonymous said...

It is quite simple. Singapore laws must be obeyed by ALL. There cannot be one law and standard for foreigners and another for locals.

The IMF and World Bank should have and would have known that protesters would be banned before deciding Singapore as a venue. Now, either these guys are totally brain-dead or they are just making a show of it right now for the consumption of their resepctive domestic audience. Are they stupid or hypocrites? Or both?

Now I know it's fashionable around these parts to blame the MIW/*Singapore* for all the ills of the world but try to get a clue. Stop using Singapore as a whipping boy for the hypocrisy or idiocy of these organisations, each with their own agendas.

Seeing things as they truly are.

Mr. Kwa Aay Tiok.

Anonymous said...

Pappies telling the world this is a fun place to visit when they do not even allow a half nude woman in a cage on the streets? who're they trying to kid?

Anonymous said...

Want to see half-naked women?

Go to Crazy Horses!

What next? You want a naked marathon race in Singapore otherwise that is too boring for you?

Sheesh.

Prude.

Anonymous said...

I think as Singaporeans, we have a right to demand high standards. The government demands high standards of it's citizens, and the citizens demands high standards and excellence from the gahmen and foreign talent.

Before we condemn MIW/Police, please take into consideration that not everybody has the right to be half-naked in public. A certain standard of excellence is required or the public streets could be a real eyes sore. Go to google and do an image search for Ashley Fruno the PETA protest chick. After you see her picture, you will appreciate what the Police has done to protect your eyes. We have to apply very strict aesthetic to foreign talent who wish to be half naked in Singapore. Please.

Check out this picture of some of the protester from IMF II in Seattle
Protest Chick Photo/
She might be foreign, but I fail to see what her talents are. Do you seriously want to see her half-naked? I doubt she would qualify for a personalized employment pass to be half-naked outside KFC.

Protest chicks are ugly clothed or not, and Singapore cannot allow them to hurt our eyes. We have been graced by beautiful local artistes such as Zoe Tay, Eelyn Kok and Gurmit Singh, and yet we've never seen them half-naked outside KFC. We therefore cannot allow lesser-looking foreign talent to be half-naked outside KFC.

Furthermore, this will not be the last international conference on the island. Conference participants don't care about ideology, they want expense paid vacations.

With regards to the above poster "Anonymous" at 9/09/2006 10:37:29 PM, Gordon Brown is an idiot. He runs excessive deficits in Britain, and caused growth to be lower and deficits higher. He may have a "stick", but in Singapore with have The Cane.

The IMF and World Bank have never been about hearing the cries of the protestors. The IMF is about the US, UK, France, Germany and Japan voting on things for themselves, so having protestors in Singapore won't matter. Furthermore, the protestors have been bitching about the same old issues nonstop, so they have nothing new to say this year, really. At least or National Day Rally has a different theme and message each year.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Anonymous, please sign off with a signature. Can?

Just a little courtesy for others who may wish to respond, rebut or praise.

Thanks.

Prude.

Anonymous said...

since animals dont wear clothes, protesters should also not.. half nude is wimpy...

Anonymous said...

I cannot understand why the IMF and World bank chose to hold its meeting in the banana republic of singapore. the island was pleased, however, they have been bitten in their own bums by the anti publicity they have received from the world's most influential newspapers.
I have enjoyed reading the Financial Times, the New York Post, The Herald Tribune, The Washington Post,The Guardian, newspapers read by by the intelligencia of the world, not the half stupud Singlish speaking Singaporeans. As for down playing Gordon Brown beware the man is anti Asia, and one of the most powerful chancellors in the world,he also carries a very large stick. His quarterly budget would buy and spit out singapore with all it's boasts.

And singapore please do not try to be what you are not. You have done well in your forty years, but be careful, the bubbled may bust.

Anonymous said...

march? my foot. banning protests make more singaporeans happy as compared to the handful of singaporeans who are trying to stir up trouble

Anonymous said...

a country whose people speak pidgin english with words like lah, can can or gone already will never understand the significance of the IMF or World Bank. Please stop bragging, you are not the bub of hubs, more probably the hub of toilets, ypour work staff seems to spend more of their time suffering from gastric complaints, sitting in the nearest crapper.

Anonymous said...

sacked ST journalist back...

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

anon 1:51

> banning protests make more singaporeans happy as compared to the handful of singaporeans who are trying to stir up trouble

"More"? Exactly. Democracy is akin to gang warfare — it divides the society into opposing groups.

Yet another reason why political power is really bad for individualism.

And BTW, it is an individual right to kill and eat animals. Yum, yum. Certain dead animals like chicken are delicious. However, 20 year old women can be "finger-licking good" too!

Wanna protest KFC or McD's? Simple. Follow along the lines of "Supersize Me":-

Get as many fat arsed liberal democrats like Michael Moore and dress them up in KFC or McD's tee shirts. Make sure the tee shirts are at least one size too small. Then send them out to walk around outside KFC and McD's outlets.

Potential customers will be turned off. Guaranteed.

Anonymous said...

Unauthorised anti-corruption probe, Feb 1997

'D' Division


Subject: Soh Wai Wah
Rank: ASP (currently Chief of Staff)

Subject is married, childless.
Subject lives at unit of Leedon Heights condo at junction of Holland Rd and Farrer Rd.
Subject owns no other property and does not appear to have excessive sources of income.


Subject: Jaswant Singh
Rank: Unknown

17 Singapore residents share the same name, from court officials to factory workers. However, only subject is a policeman.
Subject appears to hold junior rank.
Subject appears well-connected and to have excessive sources of income.
Subject holds directorships in countless security related companies and a number of properties including a bungalow along Mountbatten Rd.



Investigation suspended due to arrest. Of the two subjects, number 2 holds promise. Probe to resume when situation permits, like when there's a regime change.