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Update 6:05 p.m. The group Direct Action Everywhere indicates those that were protesting at the event were arrested.
ARRESTED: Activists who disrupted #NathansHotDogEatingContest have been taken into police custody. Their protest was against Nathan’s pork supplier, Smithfield Foods, a company exposed for animal cruelty, worker abuse, & pollution. Updates will be posted as the story develops. pic.twitter.com/hfhk6cq9Gh
— Direct Action Everywhere (@DxEverywhere) July 4, 2022
While Joey Chestnut easily wins another Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island today, a protestor came in to interrupt during the event.
But it was no mind to Chestnut, who tackled him and still won the event with 63 hot dogs consumed, 20 more than his closest competitor.
Chestnut just obliterated him pic.twitter.com/dry7Oy8KZK
— jonah block (@JonahBlock05) July 4, 2022
The protestor appears to be from the the animal rights movement, and was protesting pork producer Smithfield Foods. Chestnut was also competing with a cast on his leg thanks to a ruptured tendon, but had no issues with taking home is 15th mustard belt in the last 16 years.
Security took away the protestor pretty quickly, and the champion didn’t seem phased by the incident. It was expected Chestnut wouldn’t reach the heights of his record of 76 hot dogs anyway this year thanks to a lack of training and competing as of late, but the competition still shows the massive distance between him and every other hot dog eater on the planet.
Protestors or not, Chestnut remains the champion.