By Jordan Burke
A human chicken and other young adults perched in front of Kentucky Fried Chicken in Salt Lake City Wednesday Feb. 26, protesting the way the company treats animals, while other people stood in support.
'These chickens live miserable lives while they are alive and then die a miserable death,' said Krista Stoker, campaign coordinator for the Utah Animal Rights Coalition.
The protest accompanies many others spearheaded by the organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. PETA launched the campaign worldwide Jan. 7.
PETA''s demands include changing the way chickens are killed and the way chicken farms speed up the maturing process.
KFC said they denounce PETA''s claims of cruelty of animals.
'KFC is committed to the well-being and humane treatment of chickens,' said Virginia Ferguson, public relations manager for KFC''s parent company Yum! Brands. 'We require all of our suppliers to follow welfare guidelines developed by leading experts.'
Nearly two dozen protesters participated in the rally, standing on the sidewalk in front of the store. During the lunch time period when the group protested, business did not seem to stop, with many patrons going inside or using the drive-through.
Protest signs read: 'The Colonel''s Secret Recipe: Live Scalding, Painful Debeaking, Crippled Chickens.'
'Our ultimate goal is for KFC to adopt a humane animal welfare program,' Stoker said.
A few customers argued with the protesters as they went into the store, even offering to buy them food. Mark Baxter of West Valley said the protesters should worry more about Afghanistan than chickens.
'It''s stupid,' said Kim McDaniel, an area consultant for KFC.
Stoker, the group''s leader, is only 17 years old. She is a self-professed vegan, someone who abstains from all animal products such as leather, silk, fur.
'The reason for this protest is not necessarily to promote vegetarianism, though were always promoting vegetarianism; it''s because people need to know if they are eating chicken they are supporting cruelty to animals,' Stoker said. 'And if they''re eating at KFC they''re supporting a company that does absolutely nothing to prevent those abuses.'
As protesters chanted 'What''s the C in K-F-C? Cruelty, Cruelty,' a pro-KFC group gathered together to support the store and have a chicken-eating contest.
'It''s messed up,' said Rock Richards, a 17-year-old from Sandy. Richards, a student at Alta High School, said he and his friends do not really care deeply about the issues but do like and eat meat.
Most of the protesters and supporters were supposed to be in school but said the rally was a good reason to get out.
'It is not KFC that they should be going after; it''s the companies that provide the food,' said Ricky Spratt, an 18-year-old from Draper. 'They should not be doing this. It makes them look stupid.'
'We''re friends with them (the protesters),' Richards said. 'But we think this is stupid what they are doing. There is really no point. It''s with the companies that sell the chicken.'
Though a number of the protesters claimed not to eat meat, a few others said they think the act of eating meat is not bad.
'Eating is not the same as being cruel,' said Richards Hills of Centerville.
Hills, by far the oldest protester at 69 years old, said it is not right to maximize profits at the expense of mistreatment.
Hills joined the coalition just a few months ago and said this was his first protest.
Police did have a presence at the rally. South Salt Lake Police Chief Theresa Garner said the police were there mainly to ensure the safety of the protesters and keep the peace.
'It is interesting. You really get to see the real attitudes of people driving by,' said Steve Vasiloff from Norman, Okla., whose daughter, Gina, wore the chicken costume. 'There is a real mixture out there. Some people want to flip you off and some people support it.'
This was Vasiloff''s first protest.
'We''ve got these guys down here that look like their trying to interfere with this, but they have the freedom to do that too,' Vasiloff said. 'And that''s another thing, we have the First Amendment rights, the freedom of speech, and it''s something to be cherished.'