Russia bans American activist who walked cow on Red Square

A Russian court has imposed a 40-year entry ban on a Chinese-American animal rights activist after she was jailed while walking a young cow near the Kremlin, the woman said on February 14.

Alisa Day, 34, was sentenced to 13 days of arrest earlier this month on charges of disobeying police orders after being detained with the calf on Red Square. The cow was reportedly taken to an animal rehabilitation center, The Moscow Times reports.

In a closed Facebook group for expats in Moscow, Day published a court ruling banning her from returning to Russia until Feb. 13, 2063. 

She said the entry ban was motivated by her failure to register her arrival in Russia with the authorities, as well as resisting arrest while walking her cow on Red Square.

“I’ll try to appeal the decision that won’t let me return to Russia for 40 years, my cows will die before that,” Day wrote on her Facebook page on February 15.

The self-described Chinese national, who says she has been living long-term in Russia, has in previous years made headlines for walking farm animals on the streets of Ukraine and Britain.

Day has explained in interviews that she had bought the cows, goats and pigs in those countries to rescue them from slaughter.

“I supported [Russia] and I’m not against Russia,” Day wrote on Facebook, adding that she is due to fly to Turkey on Thursday evening.