Green Party candidate Jill Stein released a statement on Sunday in remembrance of Harambe the gorilla. Harambe was shot and killed in a Cincinnati Zoo three months ago after a child fell into an enclosure.
Stein used the three-month anniversary to mark the death of the gorilla and make a stance against the captivity of primates in zoos.
The statement made by Stein isn’t the first time the Green Party candidate has tried to be the voice for the voiceless. She previously released a statement on the matter stating that the action of keeping primates captive is “exploitive” and “should be illegal.”
“Non-human primates should have the legal right to live freely, or when necessary, in sanctuaries only for medical rehabilitation or ecological assistance for endangered species” Stein wrote in a previous statement.
Critics of Stein assert that she is attempting to ban all zoos. The statement is seen as a way to boost her support through the death of Harambe on social media.
Stein has garnered 5% support in recent polls. The Green Party candidate will need to hit the 15% support threshold to be able to be part of the first presidential debate in September. Candidates that don’t reach the debates have a slim chance of winning the presidency.
