Activist’s Lobster Rescue Mission Ends in Court Conviction, Sparks “Witch‑Hunt” Debate

After being found guilty of criminal damage, an animal rights activist who tried to “free” a crayfish by stealing it from a restaurant and throwing it into the sea has said she was the victim of a police “witch-hunt.”

Emma Smart, a 47-year-old eco-warrior, barged into Catch at the Old Fish Market in Weymouth, Dorset, in an attempt to "liberate the lobster," which she thought would be eaten. But the creature, which was kept in a tank as a pet for "educational purposes" and wasn’t on the menu, would have probably died as soon as it came into contact with the chilly harbour water.

In addition to calling marine biologist Smart “ignorant,” restaurateur Sean Cooper blamed Smart for a second tragedy, which occurred shortly after the creature’s tankmate died from loneliness, according to the Daily Mail.

After being found guilty of criminal damage, Smart received an eight-month conditional release and a three-year ban from being within ten meters of the restaurant. The activist has now intensified her crime, calling it a "crustacean jailbreak," and criticized Cooper for his attempts to arrest her.

Her "small, spontaneous act of kindness" was a "necessary win against a system that is driving our oceans and our planet to collapse," according to Smart. When Smart attempted to break into Catch in 2022 to talk to David Attenborough, who was dining there with a production crew after filming, police were called.

According to Cooper, his Michelin Guide eaterie kept the two crustaceans as pets, and they were affectionately named Ronnie and Reggie. On April 10 of last year, Smart rushed into the restaurant, took one from the warm water tank, and threw it into the harbour "like a cricket ball."

Shortly before, the activist had been spotted watching the warm water tank while hiding outside the Catch at the Old Fish Market location. The eco-warrior’s struggle with a staff member to reach the tank was caught on camera.

The 47-year-old stormed in, told the waitress she was "taking the lobster" because it "needed to be free," and opened the front door to let two customers out. The loyal staff pushed Smart and jumped between the lobster and the intruder, keeping their arms up against the marine biologist in a rainbow-colored jumper.

Smart stormed out of the restaurant after using her right arm to push her opponent away and her left hand to reach into the tank and grab a crayfish. She marched outside with it, throwing it into the harbour.

Cooper stated that he had informed the police and CPS that he had wanted the book thrown at Smart and that the CCTV footage of the incident was clear. Smart has now accused authorities of a "bizarre witch-hunt" against her on social media, criticizing Cooper and Dorset Police for prosecuting her, according to the Daily Mail.

Smart admitted that when she "liberated that single miserable lobster" from the restaurant, she was experiencing a "dark low" and a "mental health crisis." She said four police officers raided her flat, searched her, and arrested her for 12 hours.

After the lobster was set free by a "peaceful female scientist," Smart accused Cooper of having a "legal tantrum." “What a selfless ‘Community Champion' – forcing the public to pay for his therapy-by-litigation while he hawks £95 tasting menus to a town that can barely afford the bus fare,” she said.

Smart did not apologize or show sympathy for the two animals who are said to have died in the incident during her online rant. According to Cooper, the video evidence is clear and shows Emma Smart’s "assault and aggression on both the animal and female member of staff."