PETA Will Protest Atlanta Pride Party at Georgia Aquarium
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals plans to protest Friday night at the kick-off party for Atlanta Pride weekend. PETA is taking issue with the location of the party: the Georgia Aquarium.
Atlanta Pride expects a sell-out crowd of about 2000 people Friday night. And there will be a few more people outside the aquarium.
PETA Senior Vice President Dan Mathews says the music inside is just too loud for the animals. He points to wildlife experts who say the sound level upsets the animal and even causes them to fight.
“The Atlanta Pride Committee is stuck in the dark ages and is being completely unresponsive to complaints within the gay community as well as from wildlife experts,” said Mathews. “And that is why PETA will be protesting this year.”
But Jamie Green-Fergerson, Vice Chair of Atlanta Pride’s Board of Directors, says the event will go on as planned: “We have been assured by the Aquarium that they adhere to all USDA guidelines and the recommendations set forth by their animal behaviorists in how they execute parties in the Aquarium.”
As in years past, PETA is scheduled to have a booth at the Pride festival this weekend. Neither PETA nor Pride says it expects that to change.