BY THE VILLAGE SUN | Coney Island was the place to be on the Fourth of July to enjoy the sun, surf and the ritual scarfing down of frankfurters at the annual Nathan’s hot dog-eating contest.
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Things got a little chippy, though, during the gorge-fest when an animal-rights protester in a black Darth Vader mask hopped up onstage and elbowed reigning champ Joey Chestnut. The competitive eater promptly clamped the activist in a chokehold, yet still managed to win the mustard-yellow belt for a record 15th time.
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The protester’s beef was with Smithfield Food’s Circle Four Farms, the country’s largest pig farm. The group Direct Action Everywhere charges that Smithfield — of which Nathan’s is a licensed brand — compromises worker safety, public health and animal welfare. Nathan’s hot dogs are 100 percent beef.
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Chestnut later regretted the move, saying he was triggered by the black mask, plus had been revved up anticipating the contest and just lost it — though, to his credit, he didn’t lose his lunch.
He said he chose not to shove the protester away and instead grab him in a headlock because he feared he would otherwise drop the hot dogs he was holding.
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