PETA Kicked Off HCC’s Campus, Sends Appeal to College President

School Refuses to Allow Students to Put Themselves in the Place of Animals, With Group’s Factory-Farm Exhibit

For Immediate Release:
October 30, 2013

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Houston — Houston Community College (HCC) has ordered peta2, PETA’s youth division, to tear down the factory-farm display—a tent in which students can experience firsthand the intensive confinement of sow gestation crates and watch a video exposé of the meat industry—that the group had set up on campus today. Although HCC had previously approved an HCC student’s permit allowing the exhibit, officials today informed peta2 that they objected to allowing students to confine themselves to the gestation crates, which are so small that they prevent pregnant pigs from turning around or taking two steps. After removing the exhibit, the peta2 team was escorted off the campus by university security officials. peta2 will be sending a letter of appeal to HCC College President Dr. Orfelina Garza.  

This display has previously traveled to more than 60 college campuses, including Yale University, the University of Kansas, Southern Methodist University, and, earlier this week, Louisiana State University.

“The gestation crates in peta2’s exhibit help students literally put themselves in the place of animals and empathize with those who are caged, killed, and cut up for food,” says peta2 Associate Director of International Youth Campaigns Ryan Huling. “HCC’s decision to deny students the opportunity to raise awareness of animal issues is shameful and without precedent.”

The video included in peta2’s display, “Glass Walls,” is narrated by Paul McCartney, who famously said, “If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian.” The video reveals how animals on today’s factory farms are crammed by the thousands into filthy, windowless sheds and confined to wire cages, gestation crates, barren dirt lots, and other cruel confinement systems. Chickens and turkeys have their throats cut while they’re still conscious, piglets have their tails and testicles cut off without being given any painkillers, fish are suffocated or cut open while they’re still alive, and calves are torn away from their mothers within hours of birth—causing severe trauma to both mothers and calves.

For more information, please visit peta2.com.