The American Civil Liberties Union is suing the city of Shreveport, La., over the May 29, 2001 arrest of three animal rights protesters and the threatened arrest of a fourth protester. All were part of a protest organized by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals against the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
The arrest occurred when Cynthia Lieberman prepared to enter a cage wearing a skimpy outfit and painted tiger stripes. Lieberman was charged with obscenity, while she and two other activists were also charged with obstructing public passage. A fourth activist was threatened with arrest but not taken into custody.
In March 2002, Shreveport City Judge LaLeisha Walker struck down the charges saying that Lieberman’s protest would not have met the definition of obscene and that the protesters could not have been obstructing public passage since they were arrested before they were able to begin their protest.
Louisiana ACLU executive director Joe Cook notes that although police arrested the animal rights activists, they allowed representatives of the circus to remain in the area and gave leaflets and free circus tickets to the officers which were later turned in as evidence.
Source:
ACLU sues over arrests in animal-rigths demonstration. Associated Press, June 2, 2002.