Octopus Toss Tradition Should Go, PETA Tells Detroit Red Wings

DETROIT, MI — Tossing an octopus on the ice has been a revered Detroit Red Wings tradition for 65 years, but People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals says it must go. The first octopus was thrown on the ice in 1952 during the Red Wings’ Stanley Cup playoff run, and PETA wants the practice stopped as the team prepares to play its final game in Joe Louis Arena on Sunday.

In a letter to Ilitch Holdings, which owns the team, PETA said it wants the organization to penalize any fan who brings an octopus to The Joe Sunday when the Red Wings play the New Jersey Devils, and ban them from future games. The Red Wings move to the Little Caesars Arena this fall.

“Octopuses are intelligent, sensitive animals who feel pain, and it’s no more acceptable to kill one for such a disrespectful, frivolous, and stupid purpose than it is to throw dead bear cubs onto the ice during a Bruins game,” PETA President Ingrid Newkirk said in a statement. The organization suggested checking Red Wings fans at the door for concealed octopuses at the door and, if they’re found, imposing fines from $500 to $5,000.

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In the letter, PETA asked the Red Wings to consider celebrating the team with “cruelty-free plush octopus toys instead.”

The Red Wings did not immediately respond to Patch’s request for comment.

Photo: Al Sobotka swings an octopus thrown to the ice of Joe Louis Arena in 2016. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)