Pharrell’s ‘Piece by Piece’ U.K. Screening Disrupted by Protesters

The BFI London Film Festival screening of Pharrell Williams‘ animated biopic “Piece by Piece” was disrupted by animal rights protesters on Sunday.

The incident took place during the closing night gala of the London Film Festival at Queen Elizabeth Hall. The protesters, who were members of the animal rights activist group PETA, unfurled a banner that read, “Pharrell: Stop Supporting Killing Animals for Fashion.”

“Shame on you Pharrell, animals are skinned alive and tortured,” one protester shouted from the balcony of the concert hall. The protesters specifically called out Williams’ work as Louis Vuitton’s men’s creative director, saying, “LVMH, you are to blame.” (LVMH is the French multinational holding company that owns Louis Vuitton.)

Williams, who is battling laryngitis, responded in a hushed voice: “God bless you. The change we want to see won’t happen overnight.”

Variety has reached out to the festival and PETA for comment.

More to come…