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Anti-Trophy Hunting Activists Protest Trump Brothers and Safari Club International

February 28, 2023 by Leave a Comment


The News

On February 25th, approximately 30 animal rights activists in New York City staged a disruption in the lobby of Trump Tower as part of the Worldwide Rally Against Trophy Hunting (WRATH), an annual multi-city demonstration produced by CompassionWorks International. Organizers of the NYC rally chose Trump Tower because Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have participated in many well-publicized trophy hunts and have posted photos with their victims.

Activists also staged rallies in Denver, Chicago, Birmingham (U.K.) and Nashville, where Safari Club International’s annual hunting convention took place. WRATH, which is timed to coincide with the annual convention, aims to “raise awareness about the ego-driven and senseless murder of countless wild animals by trophy hunters.”

Photos of Worldwide Rally Against Trophy Hunting event in New York City

During the Worldwide Rally Against Trophy Hunting, animal rights activists in NYC staged a die-in in Trump Tower in memory of the animals who Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump slaughtered on their trophy hunting expeditions. After the lobby disruption, the activists continued the rally on busy Fifth Avenue.

In NYC, organizers rented a mobile billboard that projected images of trophy hunters, including the Trumps, and played a wrap song called Hunter! Listen up by Entyce. The song is featured in TheirTurn’s video about the NYC rally.

Photo of anti-trophy hunting mobile billboard

As part of the Worldwide Rally Against Trophy Hunting (WRATH), a mobile billboard driving through Midtown Manhattan displayed images of trophy hunters and their victims

After protesting and staging a die in inside of Trump Tower, the activists exited the building and conducted educational outreach with tourists in the bustling midtown neighborhood. While most of the pedestrians who acknowledged the rally were supportive, some Trump supporters and hunters taunted the activists.

Photo of hunter confronting activists during Worldwide Rally Against Trophy Hunting

In an apparent effort to taunt WRATH participants, a pedestrian repeatedly stated that hunting is fun and encouraged protesters to try it.

In 2015, anti-trophy hunting sentiment moved into the mainstream when Cecil, a beloved lion in Zimbabwe, was shot and killed by Walter Palmer, a big game hunter from Minnesota. The killing of Cecil, which was widely reported in mainstream media outlets, led U.S. Fish and Wildlife to add lions in Africa and India to the endangered species list, making it more difficult for Americans to partake in lion hunting.

Photo of Walter Palmer, the notorious trophy hunter who killed Cecil, a beloved lion in Zimbabwe

Walter Palmer, a trophy hunter from Minnesota, killed and beheaded Cecil, a beloved lion in Zimbabwe.


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Animal Rights Activists Protest at the NYC Homes of Trophy Hunters Eric Trump and Donald Trump, Jr

February 14, 2020 by Leave a Comment


The News

During the 2020 Worldwide Rally Against Trophy Hunting (WRATH) on February 8th, dozens of animal rights activists in New York City staged protests at the homes of America’s two most infamous trophy hunters, Eric Trump and Donald Trump, Jr. Activists marched 20 blocks from Eric and Lara Trump’s apartment on Central Park South to the Central Park West home that Donald Trump, Jr. shares with his fiancé, President Trump advisor Kimberly Guilfoyle.

Throughout the day, hundreds of pedestrians stopped to engage with the activists, and many spoke to TheirTurn about their thoughts on trophy hunting.

During the 2020 Worldwide Rally Against Trophy Hunting, animal rights activists in NYC protest at the homes of Eric Trump and Donald Trump, Jr.

WRATH events are staged each year to coincide with an annual trophy hunting convention organized by Safari Club International, a 50,000 member association “dedicated to protecting the freedom to hunt.”  Donald Trump, Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle played prominent roles at the 2020 convention, with Trump Jr. auctioning off a hunting trip with himself and Guilfoyle hosting a fundraising breakfast for the organization.

Donald Trump, Jr. and his fiancé Kimberly Guilfoyle, a Trump advisor, host fundraising events at Safari Club International’s annual trophy hunting convention

“We are grateful to the activists around the world who came together to raise awareness about the ego-driven and senseless murder of countless wild animals by trophy hunters,” said Carrie LeBlanc, the Executive Director of CompassionWorks International, a Nevada-based animal rights organization that created WRATH. “We stand with conservation groups across the world in developing strategies for sustaining and growing populations of wild animals that do not involve their senseless massacre.”

Hunters Donald Trump, Jr. and Eric Trump pose with their elephant and cape buffalo trophies

Opposition to trophy hunting entered the mainstream public when an American trophy hunter, Walter Palmer, killed Cecil, a beloved lion in Zimbabwe who was well known to park rangers and a favorite among tourists on safari. In spite of the outrage and backlash against Palmer, trophy hunters continue to shoot endangered wild animals and pose for photos with their bodies. Through education, lobbying, and other forms of grass-roots activism, CompassionWorks International and several other animal protection groups around the world are working to stigmatize and outlaw trophy hunting.

Walter Palmer, a trophy hunter from Minnesota, killed and beheaded Cecil, a beloved lion in Zimbabwe.

For more information about WRATH and CompassionWorks International’s advocacy to end trophy hunting, please visit CWI’s online and TrumpAnimalHunters on Facebook.


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Activists Target Eric Trump During Worldwide Rally Against Trophy Hunting

February 7, 2018 by Leave a Comment


The News

During the Worldwide Rally Against Trophy Hunting (WRATH), dozens of animal rights activists in New York City protested at the home and office of one of the planet’s most notorious trophy hunters — Eric Trump.  Several broadcast and print media outlets reported on the event.

During the rally, Edita Birnkrant, the Executive Director of the animal rights group NYCLASS, entered Eric Trump’s apartment building to deliver a letter to his wife, animal advocate Lara Trump, encouraging her to dissuade her husband from trophy hunting. Two reporters followed her into the building with their cameras rolling.

Flanked by reporters, Edita Birnkrant, the Executive Director of NYCLASS, delivers a letter to Lara Trump, encouraging her to discourage her husband Eric from trophy hunting.

WRATH was created in 2016 by the animal rights organization CompassionWorks International in response to the killing of Cecil, a beloved lion in Zimbabwe who was shot and beheaded by Walter Palmer, a trophy hunter from Minnesota. The death of Cecil sparked global outrage and triggered several weeks of public discourse around trophy hunting.

Walter Palmer, a trophy hunter from Minnesota, killed and beheaded Cecil in Zimbabwe.

IN 2018, WRATH events took place in 32 cities in several countries around the world, including Australia, Ireland, Canada and Brazil.  

Activists in NYC participate in Worldwide Rally Against Trophy Hunting with protest at home of trophy hunter Eric Trump.

WRATH is held to coincide with the annual convention of Safari Club International, a 50,000 member Texas-based pro-hunting organization that spends millions of dollars each year lobbying elected officials to support their mission. During the convention, organizers auction off hunts with endangered & threatened species. In 2018, a polar bear hunt was featured in the in promotional materials for the convention. 

Trophies on display at Safari Club International’s annual convention in Las Vegas

Trophy hunters justify the killing on the grounds that the money they spend helps to conserve the species and supports local community. Activists dispute that claim, arguing that most of the money spent by trophy hunters goes to the trophy hunting companies and to local government officials.

Vendors at the annual convention of Safari Club International display the bodies of exotic animals

During the WRATH event in NYC, Nicole Rivard, a campaigner with Friends of Animals, told rally participants about pending trophy hunting legislation in the state of New York:  “We cannot rely on fluid federal law to ensure that Africa’s big five do not go extinct. When it comes to trophy hunting, federal law is not protective at all.  We have legislation – Save Africa’s Big Five bill – to stop trophies from entering New York. The state bill would ban the importation, possession, sale or transportation of the trophies of elephants, lions, leopards and black and white rhinos. New York is the busiest port of entry for African wildlife in the US. Let’s shut it down.”

Animal rights activists protest Eric Trump during Worldwide Rally Against Trophy Hunting

Your Turn

Please follow CompassionWorks International on Facebook to stay apprised of the organization’s life-saving work.

Mainstream media coverage of CompassionWorks International’s 2018 Worldwide Rally Against Trophy Hunting


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Animal Advocates Stage Rally in Memory of Cecil (VIDEO)

February 8, 2017 by Leave a Comment


The News

As part of the 2017 Worldwide Rally For Cecil, animal rights activists staged a rally  in Union Square, a social justice hub in NYC, to remember the majestic lion in Zimbabwe who was killed by Walter Palmer, a hunter from Minnesota. During the rally, advocates distributed information to the public about cruelty and impact of hunting and the lies perpetuated by hunters to justify killing animals for trophies.

According to CompassionWorks International (CWI), the organizer of the Worldwide Rally for Cecil, similar events took place in 41 Cities, 20 U.S. states and 10 countries, including Australia, Ireland, Macedonia, Serbia and Zimbabwe.

Activists with CompassionWorks International stage a Rally For Cecil at the Mandalay Bay Hotel on the weekend of a convention for hunters

The largest rally took place in Las Vegas, where the nation’s leading hunting organization, Safari Club International (SCI), held its annual convention. During the convention, CWI hired a mobile billboard company to drive along the Las Vegas strip with a message condemning trophy hunting.

Anti-trophy hunting mobile billboard travels the Las Vegas trip during a hunting convention

LUSH, a cruelty-free cosmetics company, provided CWI with a grant to pay for the mobile billboard. The company also posted a “KILLING IS NOT CONSERVATION” sign in the window of its retail store in the Mandalay Bay Hotel, where hunting convention took place.

LUSH, a company that supports animal rights, sent a strong message to attendees of the hunting convention that took place in Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas

In a message to rally organizers and the media, Carrie LeBlanc, CWI’s Executive Director, said of trophy hunting, “Killing for fun and for ego is vile and lacking in compassion and morality. We have a shared responsibility to protect and conserve our natural world, not to kill it for bragging rights and a rug.”

Your Turn

In 2018, the Worldwide Rally For Cecil will become the Worldwide Rally Against Trophy Hunting (WRATH). To join the campaign to end trophy hunting, please visit WRATH and CompassionWorks International.


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