Eco-Warrior Says She’s Been Victim Of Witch Hunt After ‘Liberating’ Lobster From Michelin Restaurant

An animal rights activist who attempted to ‘free’ a lobster by stealing it from a restaurant and lobbing it into the sea has claimed she was the victim of a ‘witch-hunt’ after accidentally killing the crayfish by ‘liberating’ it.

Eco-warrior Emma Smart, 47, stormed into Catch at the Old Fish Market in Weymouth, Dorset to rescue the lobster, which she believed was going to be eaten.

However, it turns out the lobster, named Ronnie, was not on the menu and was actually a much-loved pet kept in a tank for ‘educational purposes’.

The likelihood is that Ronnie the lobster will have died immediately after being dropped into the cold ocean water from sudden environmental shock.

To make things worse – the creature’s tankmate, Reggie the lobster, died from loneliness shortly after. How sad it that?

Marine biologist Smart was convicted of criminal damage and handed a three-year restraining order from the restaurant and its staff.

Smart wrote on Facebook yesterday: ‘They call it “criminal damage.” I call it a crustacean jailbreak.

‘This actually felt good at the time (a year ago now). A small, spontaneous, act of kindness- a tiny necessary win against a system that is literally driving our oceans, our planet (and ultimately humanity) to collapse in the midst of climate breakdown and a biodiversity crisis.

‘What followed was a truly bizarre ‘witch-hunt’- a weird, ego-driven vendetta enabled by a system that is, naturally, designed to protect the delicate feelings of old, white, wealthy, influential men. I had my flat raided by 4 Dorset Police officers in 3 vehicles, a search warrant, arrest warrant, stripped naked and searched, held for 12 hours in custody, 5 ridiculous ‘trumped-up from above’ charges and a year of a ridiculous legal process.

‘I suppose in his world, the “real” criminal damage isn’t a business model that relies on systematically removing marine wildlife from a dying ocean to kill, cook, and profit from it- it’s the moment someone dares to give one of them their life back.’

Except, two lobsters ended up dead because of it, so not sure about the ‘give them their life back’ part.

Restaurateur Sean Cooper called Smart ‘ignorant’ and said losing the lobsters was ‘distressing’.

He previously told the BBC he had kept the lobsters so children dining at the Michelin Guide seafood restaurant could see them grow, given they aren’t native to Dorset.

RIP Ronnie and Reggie – we hardly knew ye.

For the animal rights activist who stabbed a woman she thought was wearing fur, click HERE. Whoops.