Why PETA crashed Pharrell Williams's TIFF event
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) premiere of Pharrell Williams's Lego animated biopic, Piece by Piece, was disrupted by a protest staged by an activist from the animal rights organization PETA. The protest was aimed at Williams's role as Louis Vuitton's men's creative director, criticizing his endorsement of animal-derived fashion products. The incident occurred during the post-screening Q&A session, causing a brief interruption in the event.
Protestor's message: 'Stop supporting killing animals for fashion'
A PETA protestor stormed the stage holding a sign that read, "Pharrell: Stop Supporting Killing Animals for Fashion." She vociferously condemned Williams's Louis Vuitton collection, stating it was made from the blood of animals. "Pharrell stop torturing animals! Ostriches are being hung upside down, electrocuted with their necks slit!" she exclaimed. The protestor was eventually escorted out of the theater while continuing to chant her message.
Williams responds to protestor's accusations
Williams responded to the protestor's accusations, acknowledging her concerns and encouraging the audience to applaud her. He further addressed the issue by saying, "Rome wasn't made in a day. And sometimes, when you have plans to change things and situations, you have to get in a situation of power and of influence where you can change people's minds and help progression."
Williams criticizes protestor's approach, assures change is underway
Williams criticized the protestor's approach, suggesting it was counterproductive. He said, "That is not necessarily the way to do it, and sitting in my position, when I have conversations on behalf of organizations like that unbeknownst to them, they come out here and do themselves a disservice." However, he assured the audience that changes were being made and if the protestor had simply asked him, he would have informed her.
PETA shares protest video; urges Williams to adopt vegan alternatives
PETA shared a video of the protest on X (formerly Twitter), reminding Williams of the suffering animals endure for fur and wildlife skins. They urged him to switch to faux and vegan alternatives immediately. In an official statement, PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman said, "Pharrell can decide in a heartbeat, today, to use his power for good and stop being complicit in cruelty—it's quite easy to be kind."
