Felon Activist Who Took Chickens Has Received Full Support from ‘Joker’ Actor

Joaquin Phoenix Backs Activist Facing Prison for Chicken Rescue

Oscar-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix is standing up for an animal rescue advocate who may go to prison for taking chickens from a slaughterhouse in Petaluma, California. Phoenix, famous for his role in the film “Joker,” stated that the accusations against Zoe Rosenberg related to an incident in June 2023 represent a ‘moral failure.’ This assertion was made in a statement released by advocacy groups, including Direct Action Everywhere (DEX) and the Animal Activists Legal Defense Project. A jury found Rosenberg guilty in October of felony conspiracy and misdemeanor charges linked to an operation involving other activists and phony uniforms targeting local chicken farms, according to the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office.

Phoenix remarked, “It’s a moral failure to criminalize people for saving suffering animals. Compassion is not a crime.” He went on to suggest that those who intervene to save lives—especially in cases where the system neglects these animals—should receive support rather than prosecution.

Rosenberg admitted in court to using stolen chickens to generate social media content for DEX, aimed at highlighting alleged animal cruelty at Petaluma Poultry. Purdue Farms, which owns the slaughterhouse, has denied these claims.

“We need to decide where we stand as a society—whether we protect the vulnerable or punish those who try to help,” Phoenix continued. He urged the Sonoma County District Attorney to focus on the documented animal abuse at Purdue’s facility instead of prosecuting people trying to put an end to it.

As for Purdue Farms, they did not respond to inquiries from the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Rosenberg, a student at UC Berkeley, was filmed by DEX removing four chickens from a truck at the poultry farm while clad in a protective suit. Reports indicate she also trespassed on the property several times and attached GPS tracking devices to delivery vehicles. At her upcoming sentencing hearing on December 3, she could be looking at a prison term of up to 4 1/2 years.

Sonoma County District Attorney Carla Rodriguez remarked that some activist groups seem to disregard the law, believing their cause justifies illegal actions. “They are trying to use the criminal justice system as a platform for attention,” she said after the verdict in October.