A woman clad in hijab and lettuce leaves was arrested by Jordanian police and detained for three hours yesterday, for holding an unauthorised demonstration.

The lone protester, Amina Tariq, carried a placard saying "Let vegetarianism grow on you".

Vegetarianism is an unfamiliar concept in most Arab countries and visitors who explain that they don't eat meat are liable to be offered chicken or fish as an alternative.

This was the fourth recent demonstration in the Middle East by supporters of the animal rights group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

Earlier this month, activists in Cairo handed out red and green chillies to passers-by, with the message: "Spice up your life: go vegetarian".

In Damascus, they held a protest against Kentucky Fried Chicken over factory farming and in Beirut a person dressed as a giant condom urged people to neuter their pets.

PETA, which acknowledges it faces an uphill struggle in getting its ideas across, says the aim of its demonstrations is "to shake people up and even shock them in order to initiate discussion, debate, and of course, action". 

Posted by Brian Whitaker, 26 July 2010.