Two animal rights activists briefly interrupted the Buffalo Bills’ attack on the Los Angeles Rams Thursday night in the NFL’s season opener. The women, identified as Emek Echo and Katia Shokrai of Direct Action Everywhere, ran into SoFi Stadium holding fires of smoke. The group said the women sought to highlight the upcoming Smithfield Foods factory farm complaints trial. The women were confronted by security guards and one of them lost her flare amid the chaos. Bills quarterback Josh Allen threw the flare into the end zone and was picked off by a keeper. Katia Sokrai and Emek Eko ahead of their protest. (Instant Action Everywhere) CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM The incident halted play as the fumes cleared. The Bills would defeat the defending Super Bowl champions 31-10. Direct Action Everywhere said in a press release two of its investigators, Paul Darwin Picklesimer and Wayne Hsiung, were charged with multiple felonies for “rescuing” piglets from Smithfield Foods-owned Circle Four Farms. The incident happened in 2017. BILLS’ JOSH ALLEN HITS GABRIEL DAVIS FOR FIRST TOUCHDOWN OF 2022 NFL SEASON “Smithfield, like the livestock industry itself, is a barbaric playing card — built on unconscious, systemic abuse and desperate attempts to shield that abuse from the public eye,” Sokrai said in a news release. “I want the world to know that animal rescuers are facing years in prison because of this company’s undue influence on our democracy.” Two women rush onto the field at SoFi Stadium with flares to highlight the upcoming Test. (Instant Action Everywhere) According to the Salt Lake Tribune, five activists were charged over the incident. While three entered plea deals, Picklesimer and Hsiung were charged with two felony counts of third-degree burglary and a Class B misdemeanor count of theft. The trial is set for early October. Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) meet at midfield after an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis) CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Direct Action Everywhere was also responsible for protests that took place during Minnesota Timberwolves games earlier this year. Ryan Gaydos is the sports editor for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to [email protected]
