Amy Soranno

Amy Soranno (born 1993/1994) is a Canadian animal rights activist in British Columbia and a former teen beauty queen.[1]

Amy Soranno
Soranno (2020)
Born1993/1994 (age 26–27)
NationalityCanadian
Known forAnimal rights activism

Pageantry

Soranno was a participant in the 2010 Queen Silver Star Excellence program run by the Vernon Winter Carnival.[2] She won the title of "Princess Silver Star".[3][4]

Health issues

Around the age of 20, Soranno went from being healthy to becoming chronically ill and was diagnosed with POTS at age 20.[5] After seeing 14 different specialists in Canada, she sought help in the US.[5] She was diagnosed in November 2013 with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS).[5] She has also been diagnosed with Lyme disease and Sjögren syndrome.[6] At one point she was confined to her bed 90% of the time.[7]

Her family created a documentary about her case to raise awareness, releasing it in May 2015, to coincide with Lyme Disease Awareness Month.[7] They established a fundraising campaign for her medical expenses on GoFundMe.[7]

On July 20, 2019, while giving a headline speech, Soranno suddenly sat down on a chair.[8][9] Soranno then briefly explained that she was “sick" and suffers from a heart condition, nerve disorder, connective tissue disease, and significant allergy responses.[8] Soranno stated "my suffering is insignificant in comparison" and then focused the remaining 45 minutes of her speech on animal rights activism.[8]

Activism

Soranno has been part of an animal rights movement called "Meat The Victims", which originated in Australia.[1] She engaged in the first "Meat the Victims" action in Canada on April 28, 2019.[1][10] During that action, approx 65 activists entered, without authorization, Excelsior Hog Farm in Abbotsford, British Columbia.[10][11] The group obtained video of the animals and refused to leave until members of the media were allowed inside the facility.[1][12][11] Outside the farm more than 100 additional activists lined the street.[13][11] The protest was sparked by a video released by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.[10][11] Negotiations with the police lasted for seven hours and then, after all demands were met, Soranno was the only one arrested and taken to the police station.[1]

Soranno has also been an organizer for "Okanagan Animal Save", part of the global Animal Save Movement, in which she coordinated protests and vigils for animals at various farms, abattoirs and events.[14][15][16] On some occasions they would "wave down trucks headed to slaughterhouses so that they can take the animals’ photos and comfort them before they're killed."[1][17][18] Following a protest at Rocana Meats in Salmon Arm, B.C., during which protesters temporarily stopped trucks of livestock from entering the slaughterhouse, Soranno said the purpose of the protest was "largely to draw attention to the ways animals are slaughtered, which they feel are inhumane."[19][18]

Soranno is also affiliated with the animal rights group "Direct Action Everywhere" as she claims to have participated in at least two DxE protests. During the summer of 2019, she, along with other DxE protestors, entered a Maple Leaf Foods Slaughterhouse in Toronto, Canada.[20][21] Once inside, they had their arms affixed to a bin filled with cement.[21][20] On June 3, 2019 Soranno "stormed police lines" in Sonoma County, California to assist leading approximately 600 activists to protest at a lock-down, which was already in effect, outside the Reichardt Duck Farm.[22][23][24]

At the Interior Savings Credit Union headquarters in downtown Kelowna, BC, on November 18, 2019, Soranno, along with others, chained herself to the doors.[25][26] Her group was protesting the ISC's sponsorship of Ribfest, which they claimed promoted cruelty to animals.[13][27] They were arrested for mischief as a result.[13][28]

Soranno is often giving "talks or workshops on veganism & activism".[23][24] During the summer of 2019 she gave a speech on 'civil disobedience' at the Toronto Liberation Conference.[29][30] On February 27, 2020 she gave a presentation to a Critical Animal Studies class at the University of British Columbia.[31]

In August 2020 it was revealed that Soranno had been charged with seven criminal offences allegedly occurring between February 2019 and April 2019.[32][33][34] Soranno is scheduled to appear in court on September 3, 2020 to face these charges; five for “break and enter to commit an indictable offence” and two for "mischief".[32][33][34]

See also

References
  1. Brown, Alleen (May 12, 2019). "Testing the Line: As Animal Rights Activists Push Legal Boundaries, Canada Considers What Makes a Terrorist". The Intercept. First Look Media. Archived from the original on May 16, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
  2. "Queen Silver Star History". Vernon Winter Carnival. Archived from the original on May 17, 2020. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  3. Brady, Cara (January 31, 2010). "New royals excited for year ahead". Vernon Morning Star. Vernon, BC: Torstar. p. A14. ISSN 0842-4349. Archived from the original on May 17, 2020. Retrieved May 17, 2020. ProQuest 373081281
  4. Brady, Cara (September 12, 2010). "Queen Silver Star candidates make debut". Vernon Morning Star. Vernon, BC: Torstar. p. A3. ISSN 0842-4349. Archived from the original on May 17, 2020. Retrieved May 17, 2020. ProQuest 750314510
  5. Tannis, Toby (January 3, 2014). "Friends rally around Okanagan woman with rare condition". Global News. Corus Entertainment Inc. Archived from the original on May 17, 2020. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  6. Helston, Charlotte (June 3, 2015). "Vernon woman shows what Lyme disease really looks like". InfoNews. Vernon, BC. Archived from the original on May 17, 2020. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  7. Hjalmarson, Lauren (May 29, 2015). "Documentary Released About Young Kelowna Woman's Struggle with Lyme Disease". KelownaNow. Archived from the original on May 16, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
  8. Soranno, Amy (7 August 2019). "Veganism & Animal Rights: Are We Doing Enough? (Speech)". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 6 September 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  9. Arrais, Pedro. "Explore: Vegan festival in Centennial Square; music and food in Colwood". Times Colonist. Archived from the original on 2019-09-16. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
  10. Manchester, Jon (April 28, 2019). "Police remove protesters". Castanet. Kelowna, BC. Archived from the original on May 17, 2020. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  11. "CTV National News: Protest at B.C. pig farm | CTV News". www.ctvnews.ca. Archived from the original on 2020-09-06. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
  12. KelownaNow. "SPCA investigation into alleged inhumane treatment at BC hog farm 'stalled'". KelownaNow. Archived from the original on 2020-09-06. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
  13. Van Emmerik, Klaudia (November 18, 2019). "Animal activists arrested after chaining themselves to Kelowna building". Global News. Corus Entertainment Inc. Archived from the original on May 17, 2020. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  14. "Okanagan Animal Save protests at D Dutchmen Dairy in Sicamous". Salmon Arm Observer. 2018-07-25. Archived from the original on 2018-07-25. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
  15. KelownaNow. "Silent protesters outside PBR event are hoping to offer an alternative perspective". KelownaNow. Archived from the original on 2020-09-06. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
  16. "Okanagan Animal Save raising concerns about hen cull at Shuswap egg farm". Global News. Archived from the original on 2019-04-19. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
  17. "Activists protest at Shuswap pig abattoir". Kelowna Capital News. 2018-12-13. Archived from the original on 2018-12-14. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
  18. Brouwer, Barb (December 13, 2018). "Slaughterhouse in Salmon Arm site of another protest by activists". Salmon Arm Observer. Torstar. Archived from the original on May 17, 2020. Retrieved May 17, 2020. ProQuest 2156011397
  19. "Activists mount protest outside B.C. pig slaughterhouse". The Columbia Valley Pioneer. 2018-10-05. Archived from the original on 2019-03-17. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
  20. "Activists rescue chickens from Maple Leaf Foods slaughterhouse in Toronto". www.blogto.com. Archived from the original on 2020-09-06. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
  21. "Maple Leaf Slaughterhouse Lockdown - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 2020-09-06. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
  22. "The Vegan Lives: Amy Soranno Pt. II - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 2020-09-06. Retrieved 2020-08-29.
  23. "Changing The World For Animals: Animal Liberation Activist Amy Soranno". PhotoBook Magazine. Archived from the original on 2020-09-06. Retrieved 2020-08-29.
  24. "Getting Arrested For Animal Rights | Amy Soranno - Liberation Hour Radio (2020) - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 2020-09-06. Retrieved 2020-08-29.
  25. "Protesters lock themselves to Interior Savings doors". Daily Courier. Kelowna, BC: Continental Newspapers Okanagan Valley Newspaper Group. November 18, 2019. Archived from the original on May 17, 2020. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  26. Taylor, Daniel (November 21, 2019). "Animal rights activist defends Monday's Ribfest protest". Kelowna Capital News. Black Press Media. Archived from the original on May 16, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
  27. Clarke, Paul (November 18, 2019). "RCMP cut free activists chained to Kelowna bank, placed under arrest". Kelowna Capital News. Kelowna, BC: Torstar. ISSN 1717-6042. Archived from the original on May 17, 2020. Retrieved May 17, 2020. ProQuest 2315565566
  28. Brookes, Laura (November 28, 2019). "Animal rights activist Amy Soranno hopes to make a difference". Castanet. Kelowna, BC. Archived from the original on May 17, 2020. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  29. "Civil Disobedience: Don't Obey Laws That Allow Mass Murder | Animal Liberation Conference (Speech) - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 2020-09-06. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
  30. "Animal Liberation Toronto Conference 2019". vegan maghā. 2019-08-28. Archived from the original on 2020-09-06. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
  31. "University Lecture: Critical Animal Studies | Undercover Investigator Amy Soranno (2020) - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 2020-09-06. Retrieved 2020-08-29.
  32. Mangione, Kendra (2020-08-07). "Pig farm protest: B.C. activists charged after hidden camera-prompted demonstration". British Columbia. Archived from the original on 2020-08-10. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
  33. "Four activists face charges linked to 2019 Abbotsford hog-farm protest". Abbotsford News. 2020-08-06. Archived from the original on 2020-09-06. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
  34. "Ministry of Attorney General for British Columbia". justice.gov.bc.ca. Archived from the original on 2020-09-06. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
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