Vegan takes neighbours to court to stop them cooking meat on their barbecues

Thousands of people are planning to attend a community barbecue outside the home of a vegan woman who made headlines for taking her neighbours to court over the smell of cooking meat.

Cilla Carden claimed her neighbour, Toan Vu, along with his wife and children, deliberately let the smell of their barbecue and cooking fish waft into the backyard of her home in Girrawheen, Perth.

The massage therapist has been embroiled in a battle with the family since late 2018 and claims the smell is so bad that she can no longer enjoy her backyard.

Ms Carden took her neighbours to a tribunal in January this year but her claims were rejected due to lack of evidence. She then applied to the Supreme Court of Western Australia to appeal the decision but that was also rejected in July.

Ms Carden recently told her story toNine News and has copped a lot of backlash since the segment aired.

In response, a Facebook event has been created called “Community BBQ for Cilla Carden”, on which more than 2000 people have clicked attending and 6000 have indicated they are interested.

“Cilla Carden has a problem with her neighbours cooking meat on their BBQ, because she’s a vegan. Recently taking them to the Supreme Court,” creator of the event Bailey Mason wrote.

“Don’t let Cilla destroy a good old Aussie tradition, join us for a community BBQ, and help Cilla Carden GET SOME PORK ON HER FORK.

“BYO hotdog buns, p.s. NO VEGANS.”

Those planning to attend the community barbecue have written on the event page to show their support.

“Let us enjoy this feast, bring your smoker and your barbecue. Bring whatever you like because this is a day to celebrate not only your love of meat but the fact that you can enjoy it no matter what a vegan tells you is right or wrong,” one person wrote.

One person joked: “This beats storming Area 51.”

Ms Carden claims the whole issue has been blown out of proportion, telling the Daily Mail she respected the rights of people to eat meat.

“This is not about a vegan versus meat issue. I respect the right of people to eat meat. I have no problem with barbecues,” she said. “The real issue is one between neighbours.”

Ms Carden told the publication she was aware of the event and had instructed her lawyer, John Hammond of Hammond Legal, to act against those behind it.

Mr Hammond recently posted a statement on the Facebook event claiming anyone who attended could face criminal charges.

“Any person who seeks to attend Ms Carden’s property on Saturday October 19, 2019 or at any other time in relation to this event or matter will be referred to the WA police on the ground of trespass,” he wrote.

“Security cameras will be installed to obtain vision of any person attending the property and the vision will be provided to the police.”

He also added that his client had “no objection to people eating meat and no objection to people having barbecues”.

Ms Carden previously told Nine News she believed her neighbours were “absolutely deliberate” in allowing their smells to cross into her yard.

“They’ve put it there so I smell fish, all I can smell is fish … I can’t go out there,” she said.

And it’s not just the smell of meat and fish that has made her furious — it’s the smell of cigarettes and the sound of children playing with basketballs.

“It’s been devastating, it’s been turmoil, it’s been unrest, I haven’t been able to sleep,” Ms Carden said.

In an attempt to keep the peace, Mr Vu has since removed the barbecue out of his yard and banned his children from playing basketball.

But it isn’t just the Vu family Ms Carden has a problem with, she has also complained the neighbour who lives on the other side of them.

The neighbour, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: “Ms Carden’s demands were proven to be not reasonable and indeed were to the detriment of the other owners’ ability to enjoy their lots in a reasonable and acceptable manner.”

The legal battle isn’t over and Ms Carden has vowed to return to court to continue the fight against her neighbours.