Joaquin Phoenix Challenges Sonoma County DA Over Pursuit Of Animal Activist

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — Actor Joaquin Phoenix added his voice to a campaign on behalf of an animal rights activist facing nearly half a decade in prison for taking chickens from a Perdue Petaluma Poultry slaughterhouse.

Phoenix urged the Sonoma County District Attorney Carla Rodriguez to prosecute animal cruelty at places like a slaughterhouse instead of going after animal rights activists. "Criminalizing people for rescuing suffering animals is a moral failure. Compassion is not a crime," he wrote in the statement released through the group Direct Action Everywhere, or DxE.

The actor's appeal comes shortly before the sentencing of Zoe Rosenberg, a DxE member and U.C. Berkeley student convicted Oct. 29 by a Sonoma County jury on charges of felony conspiracy and multiple misdemeanors.

"When individuals step in to save a life because the system has looked the other way, they should be supported—not prosecuted. We have to decide who we are as a society: one that protects the vulnerable, or one that punishes those who try. I urge the Sonoma County District Attorney to prosecute the years of documented animal cruelty at Perdue's Petaluma Poultry slaughterhouse; not the people trying to stop it," wrote Phoenix, a vegan who has participated in direction actions and used public attention, such as his 2020 Oscar acceptance speech, to oppose animal exploitation.

Rosenberg and supporters — now including Phoenix — argue that Rosenberg rescued the chickens.
In contrast, Rodriguez, prosecutors, and the industry behind a public campaign during and leading up to the trial characterize her actions as trespassing, disrupting legitimate businesses, and endangering workers and animals in pursuit of an agenda.

Her sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 3. She could be sentenced up to 4-1/2 years.

DxE is also gathering signatures on a petition asking Rodriguez to prioritize investigating and stopping crimes against animals.

DxE will be holding a "No Thanks" protest against the violence behind Thanksgiving today in Oakland at 5:30 p.m. in front of the Safeway on 6310 College Ave.

Read more about the trial and stakeholders:

Animal Activist Zoe Rosenberg Convicted In Perdue Slaughterhouse Chicken Rescue

Trial of Animal Activist, Zoe Rosenberg, Begins Monday In Sonoma County