A woman who was filmed attacking a man who groped her breast at a music festival has organised a topless march to fight against harassment.
Madeline Anello-Kitzmiller found global fame when footage emerged of her launching a retaliation attack against a fellow festival-goer who touched her without consent at Rhythm and Vines in New Zealand.
The 20-year-old has since spoken out proudly in defence of her actions – and has now invited women to join her in a ‘glittery march for consent’ at a secret location in Auckland.
Madeline Anello-Kitzmiller (right) found global fame when footage emerged of her launching a retaliation attack against a fellow festival-goer who touched her without consent at Rhythm and Vines in New Zealand.
The American-born woman, pictured right with boyfriend Max Ashworth, was filmed walking next to her friend Kiri-Ann Hatfield when a man crept behind her and groped her breast
‘On January 28th we are marching in Auckland together, to stand in solidarity with each other and for anyone who has ever been the victim of sexual assault, victim blame, anyone who wants to stand up and say this is my body and these are my rights,’ the online event promises.
Ms Anello-Kitzmiller, who was born in Portland, Oregon, was wearing only a sprinkling of glitter on her chest and a skirt when she was groped by an unknown male.
She and friend Kiri-Ann Hatfield were filmed as they followed the man and launched their own counter-attack, throwing a drink in his face and punching him several times.
The young woman inadvertently became the poster child for standing up against non-consensual touching and defended her right to be topless without consequence.
Revellers at the Rhythm and Vines festival in Gisborne, on New Zealand’s North Island, watched on as a male attendee (pictured left and right in blue) crept behind and groped a woman (left and right) wearing only glitter on her breasts
The young woman inadvertently became the poster child for standing up against non-consensual touching and defended her right to be topless without consequence (Pictured is the Facebook event)
‘I stand by my actions and hope that I’ve inspired women to feel comfortable in their bodies, no matter how they look, and to stick up for themselves when anybody says otherwise or tries to deny you the right to protect your own body,’ she previously told Daily Mail Australia.
‘He grabbed my breast. I hit him. There was a lot of built up anger coming from harassment throughout the day. This happens everywhere, not just New Zealand.’
Following the groping incident, Ms Anello-Kitzmiller has organised an activism march for January 28 in Auckland to further her cause.
The event has no dress-code and will have festival glitter gurus from Gypsy Fest NZ on hand to paint female chests and create ‘glitter boobs’.
Footage of Ms Anello-Kitzmiller’s (left) revenge assault went viral and she has since defended her controversial glittery outfit and the ensuing attack
Footage of the incident was shared online and has since garnered thousands of views and a divided opinion on who was in the wrong (Pictured is a shot of the music festival)
‘We are going to gather as many people there as possible, all genders included, all ages, if you have a body you can march!’ the Facebook event reads.
‘We’re going to bring each other together to stand up not only for ourselves but for all of our brothers and sisters who have been victimised, to stand up and fight back against what we know to be inhumane.
There is no dress code. Our freedom to express ourselves however we choose, modestly or not, does not equate an invitation to touch our bodies. This is for consent. This is for us as a people to initiate moving forward. We march to make a stand, will you stand with us?’
The official location of the march is yet to be disclosed and 176 people have already expressed interest in attending.