Animal Rights March Shuts Down Busiest Intersection In Hollywood

HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA.com) — Activists shut off Hollywood Boulevard to traffic Saturday for a demonstration in support of animal rights.

Starting at 1 p.m., a crowd of about 200 marched along from the corner of Orange Drive and headed east towards Highland, the busiest intersection in Hollywood, to send a message about the "exploitation of animals used for food, clothing, entertainment, science and other purposes."

The event was part of the Respect Life campaign started by animal rights group 269 Life.

A large part of this group also contained members of "Direct Action Everywhere."

CBS2's Greg Mills spoke to activists in Hollywood many of whom shouted "Go vegan!"

They also chanted, "Animals love their mothers -- just like us!"

"They feel," said protester Mariam Castaneda, "they're not willing to go to slaughter."

Mills, standing outside a McDonald's, asked tourist Carlos Panqui if he felt the protest would have any impact.

"I don't think so," he said, "Cause people are still going to like meat."

Members of "Direct Action Everywhere" told Mills they were not trying to make political statements but there are pictures of the group protesting outside the White House on their homepage.

As people ate hamburgers and pepperoni pizza within earshot ,Mills asked protester Libby Adams, a vegan, about the people around her eating animals.

"I can't change the system," Addams said, "but I can change me."

The group believes that one day the rest of the world will go meat-free.

Police reported no problems with the protest.