Current Events > TikToker apologizes for video of Indonesian meat market selling dog and monkey

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://nypost.com/2022/10/25/tiktoker-mikaela-testa-slammed-for-indonesian-meat-market-video/

An Australian influencer known for documenting her overseas adventures has apologized after creating a divisive video while attending an Indonesian market. Mikaela Testa, 22, is currently traveling around Indonesia and while there, she asked her driver to take her to the best market that sold different types of animal meat. In a now deleted video, Mikaela said she went to a top secret market that sold every type of meat listing some examples as monkey, crocodile, rabbit and frog. She grabbed an assortment of items before leaving the market, calling the experience traumatizing. They actually had dog meat they had monkey, they had everything, she said in the clip. I wasnt allowed to film much because I might be someone from an organization trying to shut them down. They were very sceptical of me. The rest of the clip showed Mikaela and her manager taste-testing an assortment of the items including rat and crocodile. The video, once posted, garnered a lot of comments that caused Mikaela to delete the clip. Many people were divided on whether Mikaela was in the wrong for filming and posting the meat market video in the first place.

One person said: You knew what the place was and went there saying it traumatized you. Disrespected the food as well. The country isnt as developed as others. Be respectful. Another said: Okay I changed my mind. Because why even upload the video especially after she found out about the dog meat and that it was an illegal meat trade. One said: Going there just to film a video to profit off of, and buying the illegal meat just to toss it out, is WORSE than someone going there to eat. A fourth said: Everyone saying she didnt eat it so what was the literal point of going to the location just to throw the meat away? She knew what meat they sold. The response caused Mikaela to upload two apology videos, where she explained her role as a daily vlogger and the fact she likes learning about other cultures. I understand my audience may be very sensitive and not used to seeing things like this, and I understand while traveling I can become insensitive to that because I am so used to seeing stuff like this, she said. I definitely wasnt thinking straight and I shouldnt have posted the video at all. She said that she knew the market would have monkey meat and, while she didnt agree with it, she wouldnt want to disrespect it at all.

It wasn't a legal meat market, this needed to be addressed; you don't see such universal despisal when folks address Yulin and the dog meat market or the bushmeat trade in Africa, both are well documented by individuals and media alike.

Some of those comments are cringe

somewhere, someone saw the hypocrisy, and became vegan.