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AFLW: Lone vegan activist conducts bizarre mid-derby pitch invasion during historic clash

Headshot of Jordan McArdle
Jordan McArdleThe West Australian
VideoWATCH: Several security members escorted her off the ground before kicking her out of the venue.

A lone vegan activist conducted a bizarre mid-game protest during the historic first AFL Women’s western derby at Optus Stadium this afternoon.

The protester caused a brief delay late in the first half of the one-sided affair between Fremantle and West Coast when she stormed onto the playing arena carrying a black-and-white flag with the words “right to rescue” on it.

WATCH IN THE PLAYER ABOVE

Dockers tackling machine Kiara Bowers, who had 13 official tackles to that point in the game to help her side to a commanding position, stopped the female protester in her tracks near the centre circle.

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Several security members then escorted her off the ground before kicking her out of the venue.

It’s been confirmed the invader has been handed a three-year ban from Optus Stadium for her efforts, with 7NEWS reporting the protestor to be well-known activist Tash Peterson.

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Peterson staged a ‘tell them the truth’ movement in Coles and Woolworths before Christmas last year, covering herself in blood and playing audio of a distressed pig in the stores.

“We decided that Christmas is a good time to target mass groups of people,” Ms Peterson said at the time.

She said the holiday period ingrained a “mass normalisation of violence” in people and that Christmas was supposed to be “a peaceful celebration”.

Meanwhile, the only slaughter happening at Optus Stadium was on the field with Fremantle bullying the new kids on the AFLW block.

The one-sided affair saw West Coast record just the one goal inside the first half while the Dockers notched up 33 points.

The Dockers ended up running out 45-point victors over their arch rivals.

Camera IconCredit: Jordan McArdle, Play was momentarily stopped as security worked to arrest the pitch invader.

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