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Zoe Rosenburg: Animal rights activist chains herself to basket stanchion at Timberwolves game

Animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere accused Glen Taylor, Timberwolves' primary owner, of killing 5.3 million hens in a recent mass slaughter

An animal rights activist shackled herself to the basket stanchion amid Game 1 of the Timberwolves-Grizzlies playoff series in Memphis, Tennessee on Saturday, April 16. The woman, identified as Zoe Rosenburg, was wearing a "Glen Taylor Roasts Animals Alive" T-shirt. She emerged with yellow chains during the second-quarter break and attempted to fasten herself to the stanchion after throwing flyers on the floor.

The demonstrator, who appears to be a member of the animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), was unchained by security before being carried out of the main area by five others, much to the delight of spectators inside the FedExForum. The protest appeared to be similar to the one carried out by a lady who attempted to glue her hand to the court before the Timberwolves' play-in game against the Clippers on Tuesday, April 12 in Minneapolis.

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The insane act was met with mixed reactions on Twitter. While some took the protestor's side, most condemned her for breaking in. A user tweeted, "No NOT, HOW SHE GOT THE CHAIN IN..... 1. Where was security when she approached the goal? 2. Where was security as she chained herself to the goal? @NBA how does it happen? Protester interrupts Timberwolves-Grizzlies by chaining herself to basket." Another wrote, "NBA playoffs: Protester chains herself to basket at Timberwolves-Grizzlies. Looks like people just can't understand that this is our way of life now in America! A lot of "CLOWNS." "This country has reached the tipping point of insanity," another tweet read.

Direct Action Everywhere, which tweeted that the person who shackled herself to the basket was Zoe Rosenburg, has accused Taylor, the Timberwolves' primary owner, of inhumanely slaughtering 5.3 million hens in a recent mass slaughter following an outbreak of bird flu in Taylor's Iowa egg factory. The protestor is in jail and is being charged with disorderly conduct and criminal trespass. She is currently being interrogated and her hearing is scheduled for Monday, April 18 at 9 am.

Taylor might not be the team's owner for long. The NBA approved a $1.5 billion agreement that will give Alex Rodriguez and his partner, Walmart CEO Marc Lore, a 20 percent minority ownership in the Timberwolves, with the option to buy more stakes in 2022 and beyond to become majority owners. The agreement also includes a share in the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx. In the end, Taylor's seventh-seeded Timberwolves defeated the No. 2 seed Grizzlies, 130-117, to take a 1-0 lead in the Western Conference first-round best-of-seven series. In his first playoff game, Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 36 points.