Topless protesters demand Bernie Sanders cut his ties to the dairy industry
BERKELEY, Calif. - An Oakland-based animal rights group says it is responsible for disrupting Bernie Sander's campaign rallies this week in Richmond, Calif. and in Carson City, Nevada.
At both events, female activists went topless to call attention to what they describe as the mistreatment of cows and their calves on dairy farms.
After the Monday protest in Richmond, women from both protests spoke with KTVU at the Berkeley Animal Rights Center about their cause.
"I was one of the woman they hauled away," said Eva Hamer, who protested at Sanders' rally in Richmond.
Topless protesters disrupt Sanders campaign
She was among the two dozen activists, mostly from the East Bay, at the campaign event.
The protestors are with Direct Action Everywhere and they say they are supporters of Bernie Sanders.
"He's always been standing up for the underdog. It's also within his principles to stand up for animals," said Hamer.
On Sunday, another activist from the same group managed to take the microphone from Sanders at his rally in Carson City, Nevada.
Two other women poured fake blood on the podium before being escorted from the stage.
They're demanding that Sanders cut his ties to the dairy industry.
"I disrobed and held our sign saying: let dairy die," said Carla Cabral.
She said she was arrested and held in a Carson City jail for eight hours. She was charged with indecent exposure and released on $2,500 bail.
"Often, the public is very unaware of the truth that is happening and it's very important what is going on, on these farms,"said Cabral.
Christina Liu, another activist who attended sander's rally in Richmond, told KTVU she went to several dairy farms in Vermont this past winter.
She shared video of a calf left out in the cold.
"Babies are being taken from their mothers . That's just the norm," said Liu, "I want Bernie to include this in his platform and speak up against this injustice."
No animal rights activist was arrested at the Richmond rally.
KTVU has reached out to Sanders' campaign, but so far, no response.
Direct Action Everywhere said it plans to continue to demand that Sanders speak up against the dairy industry, but that it will not release details of protests in advance.