Activist Abducts Lobster, Faces Court Ban

An animal rights activist, marine biologist Emma Smart, 47, has been banned from a Weymouth restaurant after she impulsively released a lobster intended for educational purposes. The incident occurred on April 10 of last year at The Catch at the Old Fish Market. Mr. Anthony Cooper, the owner, had kept the lobster for two-and-a-half years.

Smart entered the Michelin Guide restaurant and took the lobster from its tank, barging past staff. She then released the creature into the nearby harbour. While charges for assault and causing suffering were dropped, Smart admitted to criminal damage to the lobster.

Appearing at Bournemouth Crown Court, she received an eight-month conditional discharge and a three-year restraining order. This order prohibits her from approaching within 10 metres of the restaurant or its staff. The judge described her actions as "deeply misguided."

This was not Smart's first encounter with the establishment; she previously caused a disturbance in 2022 attempting to confront Sir David Attenborough. She also has a history of activism, including a past jail sentence related to an Insulate Britain protest.