Chris Delforce (pictured) directed militant vegan documentary Dominion
The militant vegan behind protests across Australia has said he became an animal rights activist to make up for his ‘white, male, middle-class privilege’.
Chris Delforce, the director of animal rights documentary Dominion, runs the group Aussie Farms, which protests across Australia.
Melbourne was brought to a standstill by 100 activists sitting on tram tracks while others in rural New South Wales and Queensland invaded farms and chained themselves to abattoir machinery.
Mr Delforce, a web developer, used to volunteer for poverty relief charities and travelled to Zanzibar and Indonesia to promote human rights before turning his attention to animal rights.
In a newspaper interview on Wednesday, he said he felt a duty to help because of his privileged background.
‘As a white male in a middle-class upbringing, a lot in life is pretty much handed to me,’ Mr Delforce told The Australian.
‘As a person who has it pretty easy in life, I think it’s my responsibility to do as much as I can to use my opportunities.’
Mr Delforce made similar comments at the protests in Melbourne, saying: ‘As someone born into a position of considerable opportunity and privilege, I have a moral opportunity to do whatever I can to help those less fortunate than myself.’
Born in Canberra, Mr Delforce has been an activist in Melbourne for nine years and even ran for the Animal Justice Party in last year’s Victorian election.
He is the brains behind the controversial Aussie Farms interactive map, which names and shames livestock farmers and details their addresses, photos and even business numbers.
The organisation – a registered charity – was recently branded a ‘despicable attack map for activists’ by Agriculture Minister David Littleproud following a spate of vigilante acts against farms.
Mr Delforce protested in Melbourne on Monday, telling reporters the event was about ‘making as much noise as we can’ for animal rights.
‘The industry is telling people these animals are being killed ethically, that they are being killed humanely – the reality is… it’s the furthest thing from humane,’ he said.