A black-and-white photo of a person mid-air in a Superman-style body suspension pose, supported by multiple hooks in their back and legs, smiling joyfully toward the camera. They are suspended horizontally in a large indoor space with high ceilings and visible rigging. A group of onlookers—some seated, some standing—watch with expressions of admiration, amusement, and support. The atmosphere is lively and communal, capturing a moment of shared experience and transformation.

Hanging for Sharks.

Photo credit: Chinanews.com

Look familiar? That’d be Alice, hanging in … a Lush window? Whaaa? Oh, it’s part of a demonstration to protest “the barbaric practise of shark finning, where fins are hacked off live sharks and they are thrown back in the ocean to die. As well as being a horribly cruel fishing practise, the killing of sharks on the huge scale that is happening at the moment is also threatening the entire fragile ecosystem of our oceans,” says Alice. Neat! It’s actually a co-protest that sees Lush teaming up with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

Alice goes on to describe the scene:

I suspended in the window of Lush on London’s Regent Street dressed as a mermaid for 15 minutes, hanging from two debarbed shark hooks (which, interestingly enough, are the hooks the suspension community uses as standard), while members of Sea Shepherd and Lush staff members handed out flyers and talked to the press about the campaign. Later in the day, the Lush staff headed to Chinatown to protest about restaurants selling shark products.

Noble cause? Check. Innovative technique? Yep. Good press for the suspension community? Indeed! Surely the erudite and gifted denizens of the Internets would agree. Right?

“This is again the horrible idea that shocking people helps. It’s like thinking that a public display of the most terrible experiments on animals can increase people love for them. I think this is just sick. Love brings love, disgusting stuff can only bring horror and fuel maniacs.”

“Horrible display of a female, when I saw the photo I said to me, somebody is sick.”

“Sad when our world has to resort to such tactics in order to draw attention to something. Every person has his/her own motive for doing the things they do. What’s happening to this world? Is it Money? Attention? Care-less hearts? Calloused hearts? I wonder if anyone walked away thinking about the sharks or applause for a masochistic girl? … Sad.”

Ohh … right.

Shark’s Fin Scoop [CNN]

Comments

3 responses to “Hanging for Sharks.”

  1. Angiebabynz Avatar
    Angiebabynz

    I work for Lush in New Zealand, and I’m so proud and pleased to see Alice getting so much attention for the sharks, and Sea Shepherd. But its been really upsetting for me to see and hear the negative comments about suspension.

    If only people would look closely at Alice’s face and see that shes quite happy up there!!

  2. candycovered Avatar

    <3
    that video made me cry. I can’t stand the cruelty that beautiful animals such as these are subjected to by humans. it disgusts me that we are of the same race really.
    Alice is really sweet, who better to promote this wonderful campaign.

  3. Emaline Avatar

    Thank the modded god for this blog! Maybe BME won’t have to be dead to me after all.

    I saw this article probably the day it was posted, and was just so shocked to see what people were saying. Maybe its just because I am used to these things, but I couldn’t believe how some people found it so weird.

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