PETA WATCH

A HIJAB wearing PETA 'lettuce lady' has been arrested in Jordan after a demonstration to guilt people into turning vegan turned sour.

Jordanian PETA member Amina Tariq was arrested yesterday in Jabal Amman province after reports of a traffic jam and rumours of a woman in an 'immodest lettuce dress'. Tariq was waiving a placard in both Arabic and English that said 'Let Vegetarianism Grow On You'.

Public Security Department officials broke up the crowd and escorted both Tariq and ubiquitous PETA agitator Ashley Fruno into a police car and away from the area.

Although PETA claims to have 10,000 members in the region, reaction from the Muslim locals was negative.

Taxi driver Mohammed Kheir called the disruption pointless, stating 'This is crazy. People here want to eat and they want to live. People can barely afford meat.'

Ahmed Thibani said he was angry after learning that the activists stopped traffic in order to save animals from reaching his kitchen.

'I work two jobs to make sure there is meat on the table at least once a week,' he said. 'You want me to give that up?'

UPDATE: A Jordanian Public Security Department official has said the pair will not be charged.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is demanding the release of mollusk medium 'Paul' who has become an international celebrity after predicting a slew of world-cup match winners.

The British-born calamari resides in a tank in Germany and has had a string of successes picking the winners in this year's world cup.

The eight-legged oracle has picked Spain as the winner in the forthcoming final.

But in a predictably killjoy move PETA Spokesman Bruce Friedrich has announced the animal rights outfit is urging people to sign an online petition demanding Paul's release.

'No animal deserves to be confined to a tiny tank and we're hoping that Paul's popularity, or in Germany notoriety, will cause people to think a little bit more about the inner lives of octopuses,' he claimed.

Predictions are being sought from the octopus about the future of PETA's campaign.

UPDATE: Spain wins!

(via Chris)