YouTube | Nine News Perth

Over 3,000 People Plan Protest Cookout For Vegan Who Sued Neighbors For BBQ

Updated September 8, 2021

When property lines are clearly defined, you'd think it wouldn't be so hard for neighbors to stay out of each other's way. However, frustrated home owners will often tell you that this is not often the case.

I've had the displeasure of living next to someone who left their garbage on my property while my other neighbor tried to chase delivery people away from the easement between us like they owned it (they didn't.)

Sometimes, these disputes become heated enough that they end up in court. But while things finally calmed down after it got to that level in my case, it seems that the drama is just beginning for one woman in Australia.

As far as Cilla Carden of Girrawheen, Australia was concerned, her neighbors were out to get her.

YouTube | Nine News Perth

According to The Daily Mail, her neighbors were always barbecuing fish in a manner that the vegan considered deliberate.

"All I can smell is fish," she said. "I can't enjoy my backyard."

But it wasn't just the smell of cooking meat that had Carden so upset.

Unsplash | Stephen Baker

She also took issue with the noise made by the children's basketballs, and the smell of the family members smoking in their backyard.

"It's been devastating, it's been turmoil, it's been unrest," Carden said. "I haven't been able to sleep."

In an effort to remedy all this, she took the neighboring family to court for the barbecue and cigarette smells, as well as the frequent noise of basketballs being bounced.

For his part, the neighbor moved the barbecue away from her unit and instructed his kids not to play basketball anymore.

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However, it seems they can legally carry on their games as desired since the tribunal who heard the case dismissed all of Carden's claims and said the neighbor didn't make enough noise to be considered a nuisance.

As they ruled, "What they are doing is living in their backyard and their home as a family."

Carden then attempted to take her case to the Supreme Court of Western Australia, but was denied.

While that would normally spell the end of the story, Carden has since faced backlash as critics accused her of trying to destroy an Australian tradition.

YouTube | Nine News Perth

To this, she replied that the issue had been blown out of proportion.

As she told The Daily Mail, "...this is not about a vegan versus meat issue. I respect the right of people to eat meat! I have no problem with barbecues. The real issue is one between neighbors."

However, this hasn't stopped thousands of her fellow citizens from planning a massive "Community BBQ" in her neighborhood.

Reddit | Flanyo

According to the relevant Facebook event scheduled for October 19, about 3,900 people have declared that they will attend at the time of this writing, while 9,400 said they were "interested."

This is explicitly in protest of her attempted lawsuit and vegans have specifically been told that they aren't welcome.

The planned event was explained as being directly targeted at the disgruntled vegan neighbor.

Unsplash | Miika Laaksonen

"Cilla Carden has a problem with her neighbors cooking meat on their BBQ, because she's a vegan. Recently taking them to the Supreme Court" event creator Bailey Mason wrote online. "Don't let Cilla destroy a good old Aussie tradition, join us for a community BBQ, and help Cilla Carden GET SOME PORK ON HER FORK."

Mason posted a statement online, confirming that the event is in retaliation to Carden's feud with her neighbors.

Unsplash | Nik MacMillan

"We did this to highlight the constant struggle our farmers are enduring to keep our country fed, and safe from vegan extremists," the since-deleted post read. "This event has shown how the Aussie spirit, can get behind a cause they believe in, in phenomenal numbers, so we ask you this, use that same Aussie spirit and pride, and stand up, to help our farmers NOW."

Once a modest community barbecue, the event has now spiraled into a much grander get-together.

Facebook

A follow-up post has requested services from interested parties, like "food trucks or vendors, live entertainment, volunteers, AND MORE BBQS."

At the end of the post, Mason asks for contact information for neighboring residences so organizers can secure more space for the ever-growing barbecue.

In response to the planned event, Carden's lawyer, John Hammond, has said that anyone who tries to access her property will be charged with trespassing.

Reddit | dingmah

As he said, "Security cameras will be installed to obtain vision of any person attending the property and the vision will be provided to the police."

To avoid any potential legal repercussions, even details have been altered slightly.

Unsplash | Paul Hermann

The community barbecue's host, Mason, has edited the event description to emphasize that nobody is allowed to set foot on Carden's property and that the front yards of participating neighbors will be used instead.

h/t: The Daily Mail

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