Supporters took over San Francisco's Mission District last Saturday, marching and chanting for the release of 23-year-old activist Zoe Rosenberg, who earlier this month began serving a 90-day sentence in Sonoma County jail. The crowd started at Dolores Park, then fanned out across the city to deliver petitions by hand, asking Governor Gavin Newsom for a pardon in a case that has put Bay Area animal-rights organizers on a collision course with Petaluma poultry interests.
March Moves From Dolores Park
Organizers said the march kicked off at Dolores Park before heading through the Mission, with planned stops at a Trader Joe’s and the state Attorney General’s office as part of a coordinated day of action. As reported by KRON4, demonstrators carried giant “Free Zoe” banners, called for clemency and repeatedly invoked the four birds at the center of the case.
Why They're Protesting: The Case
Rosenberg was convicted in October of felony conspiracy and three misdemeanors for removing four chickens from a Petaluma Poultry processing facility in June 2023. A judge ordered her to report to Sonoma County jail on Dec. 10 to serve a 90-day term. The AP News reported that 60 of those days may be served under alternative arrangements such as electronic home confinement, and that she was also sentenced to two years of probation.
Sentence, Restitution And Trial Details
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the court ordered Rosenberg to pay about $102,548 in restitution to Petaluma Poultry, and that prosecutors presented jurors with evidence they argued showed the incursion was carefully planned. Court filings and coverage noted that prosecutors had pushed for a six-month sentence without alternatives, arguing the operation created biosecurity risks and more than $100,000 in business losses.
Supporters' Response And Petition Push
Direct Action Everywhere, the Berkeley-based group behind much of Rosenberg’s activism, organized the “Free Zoe” events and is urging supporters to sign a petition at FreeZoe.org and pressure Governor Newsom for a pardon. Organizers and independent outlets have reported that thousands of people have already added their names to online petitions, with signatures being hand-delivered to Sacramento this week; Indybay noted more than 30,000 names on allied petitions.
Industry Response
Petaluma Poultry, a Perdue Farms subsidiary, has praised the verdict, saying the outcome “upholds the rule of law,” and its general counsel described DxE’s tactics as a “reckless disregard for employee safety,” according to reporting by the AP News. Company officials and prosecutors have framed the incident as part of a broader pattern of disruptive actions, not a one-off animal-welfare rescue.
Legal Stakes
The Sonoma County District Attorney's office has described the 2023 break-in as a “coordinated effort” involving disguises, tracking devices and multiple entries, and prosecutors have signaled they intend to pursue restitution and enforcement of the court’s orders, as outlined by the Crime Voice. Rosenberg’s attorneys say they will appeal the conviction and argue that the action was an ethical rescue of animals, setting up a legal fight that is likely to continue both in court and on the streets.
The rally in the Mission highlights how the Rosenberg case has moved out of courtrooms and into shopping aisles and city sidewalks, a flashpoint in the broader debate over “right to rescue” activism and industrial agriculture. Organizers say more demonstrations are planned as appeals and petitions move forward, while officials maintain that the verdict and sentence send a clear message that breaking into regulated food facilities brings legal consequences.
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