A woman was caught on camera removing a live lobster from a fancy fish restaurant and dropping it into a harbor. The woman, identified as Emma Smart, believed she was liberating the lobster from being cooked; however, it turned out to be a pet used for educating schoolchildren.
The incident took place at the Catch at the Old Fish Market in Dorset. In the footage, Smart can be seen nonchalantly taking the lobster from a tank in the restaurant, despite attempts by staff to stop her. The lobster, belonging to the restaurant owner for over two years, was meant for educational purposes and not consumption.
Following the incident, Smart, a marine biologist, appeared in court and admitted to causing damage to the lobster. She received a conditional discharge for eight months and a three-year ban from approaching the restaurant or its personnel. The judge emphasized that the lobster was not meant for consumption but for educational use.
This was not Smart’s first encounter with the law, as she had previously faced legal issues related to a protest and an incident involving veteran broadcaster Sir David Attenborough. Despite her passion for animal welfare, her impulsive actions were deemed misguided and detrimental to the lobster’s well-being.