The 2022 NFL season got underway on Thursday with the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams taking on the Buffalo Bills. Aside from Bills quarterback Josh Allen, two women that made their way onto the playing field also made a lasting impression.
A pair of animal rights protestors ended up running onto the field at SoFi Stadium in the fourth quarter and left a trail of pink smoke in the air. The two women carried red flares and one of them threw a pink smoke bomb onto the turf.
Things getting weird on the field in LA. pic.twitter.com/t7pJFVK2N5
— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) September 9, 2022
Play ended up being briefly halted as security had to apprehend the two women. Once the pink smoke bomb was dropped, a Bills player threw the smoke bomb down the field, where it landed in the end zone.
According to USA Today, the two women are Emek Echo and Katia Shokrai, and they both represented Direct Action Everywhere. This certainly isn't the first time that Direct Action Everywhere has managed to make a statement during a sporting event.
The group also interrupted three Minnesota Timberwolves games last season, in addition to the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest on the Fourth of July.
Direct Action Everywhere stated that they wanted to bring attention to an upcoming factory farm trial involving Smithfield Foods. Smithfield Foods is owned by Chinese billionaire Wan Long and is the world's top manufacturer of pork products.
