People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' "Hell on Wheels" tour made a stop at Irene's Cafe in the Tower District on Thursday, May 1, 2025. Photo by Frank Lopez

Fresno city and business leaders showed support for a Tower District café targeted Thursday by an animal activist group.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) stopped in Tower with its “Hell On Wheels” national truck tour calling out eateries that serve pork and other animal products.

Speakers on the truck played sounds of distressed pigs and displayed an image of pigs being transported to slaughter.

The truck started its local tour by parking along Linden Avenue across the street from Irene’s Café.

A spokesperson for PETA it was also going to park in front of Richie’s Pizza, Bobby Salazar’s and other eateries that serve animal products, including McDonald’s and Burger King restaurants.

Fresno City Council members Miguel Arias, Nelson Esparza and Annalisa Perea were having lunch at Irene’s to show support for the small business.

Cami Cipolla, executive director of the Tower District Business Association said Tower is a place that supports protests and people standing up for their beliefs, but some protests can negatively impact local businesses.

 

She said PETA did not call the Tower District Business Association ahead of the demonstration.

“Our hope is that in future situations we would be reached out to have discussions versus an aggressive protest,” Cipolla.

Cipolla said customers and business owners contacted the Tower District Business Association after The Business Journal first reported about the demonstration on Wednesday.

Cipolla’s advice for businesses that might become targets for a protest or demonstration? Camaraderie.

“When we communicate with each other and support each other is where we see more progressive change versus having to silo and do it by yourself, Cipolla said.

There wasn’t an empty table at Irene’s Cafe on Thursday at noon when PETA’s demonstration began. Other community leaders have also called for support of the eatery.

Fresno Chamber of Commerce CEO Scott Miller on Facebook encouraged people to join him in buying a few extra meals at Irene’s this month.

“This is complete nonsense,” Miller said of the PETA demonstration. “I respect ethical vegans and absolutely support the right to public protest — but to choose a small mom and pop restaurant (especially one that has done as much for our community as Irene’s Café) as a target is despicable.”