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Activists spray New York hot dog eating contestants with 'fake blood'

Animal rights activists have disrupted the annual Nathan’s Hot Dog eating contest in New York, jumping on stage and spraying contestants with fake blood.

The group, reportedly a part of Direct Action Everywhere, crashed the Coney Island contest and knocked a hot dog from a contestant's hand before security intervened.

An animal rights activist is arrested at the Nathan's Hot Dog eating contest on Coney Island. Source: Big Cat/Twitter
An animal rights activist is arrested at the Nathan's Hot Dog eating contest on Coney Island. Source: Big Cat/Twitter

Three of the protestors were taken into custody as the contest continued.

New York’s Daily News says Direct Action Everywhere took credit for the protest to “represent the violence of animal agriculture”.

One of the animal rights activists. Source: Big Cat/Twitter
One of the animal rights activists. Source: Big Cat/Twitter
The activists are escorted off the stage. Source: Big Cat/Twitter
The activists are escorted off the stage. Source: Big Cat/Twitter

The activists had posted “there’s sickness and death in your 4th of July hot dog” on its website before the annual event took place.

The disruption did little to slow eventual contest winner Joey Chestnut who ate a record 70 hot dogs in 10 minutes.

Nathan's Hot Dog eating contest winner Joey Chestnut. Source: Nascarcasm/Instagram
Nathan's Hot Dog eating contest winner Joey Chestnut. Source: Nascarcasm/Instagram
The Nathan's Hot Dog eating contest. Source: Techcreecher/Instagram
The Nathan's Hot Dog eating contest. Source: Techcreecher/Instagram

The protest comes just one day after five animal rights activists from Direct Action Everywhere interrupted a US baseball game before being taken down by a dozen security guards.