Protesters interrupt NFL's season-opener between Bills-Rams with pink smoke bombs

Leaving a trail of pink smoke in the air, two animal rights protesters ran onto the field at SoFi Stadium Thursday night during the game between the Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills.

The women carried red flares and one of them appeared to throw a pink smoke bomb as they briefly interrupted play in the fourth quarter before security removed them from the field and the Bills went on to beat the Rams, 31-10.

The women were identified as Emek Echo and Katia Shokrai by Direct Action Everywhere, which bills itself as grassroots animal rights network and said the women were representing them.

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Direct Action Everywhere is the same group whose protesters disrupted the Fourth of July Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest and three Minneapolis Timberwolves games in April.

The group said the protesters on Thursday night were trying to highlight an upcoming Smithfield Foods factory farm trial.

Smithfield Foods, founded in Smithfield, Virginia, in 1936, is owned by Hong Kong-based WH Group. According to Forbes, Smithfield is the world's largest pork processer and hog producer.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Animal rights activists interrupt NFL opener between Bills-Rams