A US animal-rights activist said he was prevented by
police Thursday from staging a one-man protest in a chicken suit at
a KFC outlet in Singapore.
Edward Basse, a Manila-based campaigner for People for the
Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), said he was whisked away in a
police car after he arrived by taxi outside the restaurant in a
working-class district.
"I am now in my hotel room. I am under functional house arrest.
I will stay in my hotel room under police surveillance until I
leave tomorrow," 24-year-old Basse told AFP by telephone.
Police in Singapore, which has some of the world's toughest
restrictions on protests, had no immediate comment.
"It took a long time, the questioning, perhaps a couple of
hours. I was scared, but that is what I have to do for the
chickens," Basse said.
"They confiscated my bags and the chicken costume, as well as
the poster," he added, saying he did not expect to be charged and
would leave Singapore voluntarily.
In Singapore, protests are only allowed at a designated public
park located on the fringe of the business district. Otherwise, any
public demonstration or march needs a police permit.
"I was scared but they treated me fairly okay," Basse said of
his stay with the police.
"I am here now in my room safe, but what I went through is
nothing compared to (the treatment of) the chickens."
Jason Baker, PETA's regional director based in Hong Kong, said
Basse was a vegetarian outraged by KFC's allegedly cruel practices
against chickens.
"He made a decision that a voice needs to be given to the
animals that KFC abuses," said Baker.
