### Animal Rights Protesters Disrupt Pharrell Williams' Biopic Screening at BFI London Film Festival

The BFI London Film Festival's closing night gala was interrupted by a demonstration from animal rights activists during the screening of Pharrell Williams' animated biographical film, "Piece by Piece." The incident occurred at the Royal Festival Hall on Sunday night, when two protesters from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) displayed a banner urging Williams to cease his support of animal products in fashion.

The protesters specifically targeted Williams' role as the men's creative director for fashion house Louis Vuitton, a brand under the French multinational conglomerate LVMH. "Shame on you, Pharrell. Animals are skinned alive and tortured," one of the activists shouted from the concert hall's balcony. They continued to chant slogans like "Stop the torture, stop the pain, LVMH you are to blame," and "Animals want to live - just like us," for over a minute before being escorted out by security.

Pharrell, who is currently suffering from laryngitis, responded to the demonstrators in a soft voice, acknowledging their concerns. "God bless you. Rome wasn't built in a day," he said. "And the changes that they seek don't happen overnight. It takes a lot of planning. We are working on those things." His response, though barely audible, aimed to assure the protesters that efforts are being made towards change.

The British Film Institute's representative confirmed that the protesters were removed calmly and that any earlier attempt to remove them might have aggravated the situation. "We feel it was managed well," the representative told Variety.

In a statement provided to Variety, PETA U.K. senior campaigns manager Kate Werner condemned Pharrell's involvement with Louis Vuitton, pointing out the cruelty involved in producing wild-animal skins and fur for fashion. Werner urged Pharrell to leverage his influence for good and push the brand toward more humane practices.

This was not the first instance of PETA protesting Williams’ film. Last month, a similar incident occurred at the Toronto International Film Festival's premiere of "Piece by Piece," where a protester stormed the stage condemning the use of animal products in his fashion line. Williams addressed the objections, reiterating that meaningful change requires time and influence and assuring that efforts were already underway.

Before the disruption at the Royal Festival Hall, director Morgan Neville introduced the documentary to an audience of about 2,000 people. He discussed the unique approach of animating the film like a Lego movie, which allowed Pharrell to engage with his life story from a comfortable distance and provided a creative way to delve into his perspective.

Overall, the demonstration underscored ongoing tensions between the fashion industry and animal rights activists, while also highlighting Pharrell’s efforts to navigate and possibly influence future changes within the industry.