Maksim Krivosh, aged 44, hijacked a bus in the center of Ukraine's Lutsk on Tuesday morning. The hostage-taker had explosives and weapons. He expressed dissatisfaction with the country's political system and urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to call on Ukrainians to watch the Earthlings movie. After Zelenskyy posted a relevant video address, Krivosh eventually released the hostages and was detained by the police.
“Earthlings does not endorse or condone acts of terror, as its message is one of compassion for all beings,” Monson stated. “The film’s content is the on-going global slaughter of billions of defenseless animals, which is not only detrimental to human health but a primary cause of climate change. However, we do not cause terror to awaken people to terror.”
Monson also commiserated with those affected by the incident.
“Our hearts go out to all those impacted by this ordeal, to their families, as well as the authorities who ensured that no lives were lost. May we move forward with non-violence toward all,” the director said.
Ukrainian Deputy Interior Minister Anton Herashchenko said on Tuesday that Krivosh is in a pre-trial detention facility, and indictments of terrorism, taking hostages and the illegal possession of weapons have been filed against him.
"Earthlings" is a US documentary focusing on the problem of human cruelty toward animals, as well as the harm to livestock and fisheries on a global scale.
