Tag: Circuses

Shriners, Animal Rights Activists Throw Down in Minnesota

In July a physical altercation took place between at Shriners and animal rights activists at the Shriners national convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Police were called, but no arrested were made and charges were not pressed against members of either group.

According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, about 15 animal rights activists dressed in clown outfits were protesting across the street from a convention center where the Shriner convention was being held. The Tribune reported that,

The initial altercation was between a Shriner, Rob Bernhardt of Denver, and Lori Peterson, a Minneapolis attorney and activist, who wore a bright orange fright wig and a polka-dot bow tie. Bernhardt, arguing with another protester, turned around and saw Peterson standing on the sidewalk.

“I told her to get out of the way, and she said, ‘You’re gonna have to get me out of the way,’ said Bernhardt, who might outweigh Peterson by 100 pounds. “I pushed her out of the way, then the guy on the other side pushes me, and then she goes in on me low, and we’re in the bushes.”

Peterson said, “He threw me into the bushes. I don’t remember throwing punches, but I kicked him between the legs.”

Others then joined in the fracas which apparently lasted a couple minutes.

In an e-mail posted to an animal rights mailing list, Lori Peterson said of the incident,

The truly amazing thing is that several of them PHYSICALLY ATTACKED US! ! ! ! ! THEY WERE HUGE! ! ! They physically threw a female activist (me!) over a cement wall and into some bushes and jumped on top of her, they punched out a 62 year-old man who was trying to break up the melee [sic], they punched a college student repeatedly in the face and knocked his head against a metal pipe, they punched a security guard, and more. Several activists were bleeding and bruised.

We called the police (and the press!) and had to follow the Shriners/perpetrators down the street, as they were trying to escape dealing with law enforcement. Let me reiterate: the two main Shriner instigators were HUGE. They must have weighted 300 lbs each and looked ready to go into labor at any moment. Turns out, they are father and son. (I’m proud to say I nailed the biggest one in the nuts, as difficult as it was to find them).

The police and press showed up and conducted interviews. They also watched (without being detected) what the Shriners who walked past said. They got some choice tidbits firsthand. We are considering suing not only the individuals engaged in the violence, but also the Shrine organization. Maybe their money should be used to finance animal rights for a change, instead of to fund their clubhouses, motorcycles, stupid hats and liquor.

Peterson and the other activists were protesting against the Shriners’ circus which features performing animals.

Sources:

Animal-rights activists, Shriners spar at convention. Nolan Zavoral, Star Tribune (Minneapolis), July 7, 2003.

Shriners physically attack activists. Lori Peterson, E-mail communication, July 7, 2003.

Animal Rights Activist Sues Over Ejection/Arrest from Circus

Animal rights activist Rita Ross, 63, has filed a $3.5 million lawsuit after she was ejected from a New York performance of the Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Circus.

Clyde Beatty representatives ended up calling the police to deal with Ross on July 12, 2002. She was arrested on charges of resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and trespass. Ross is suing the circus and the private security firm at the mall where the circus performed.

Ross claims she was targeted because of her animal rights views. The New York Journal News excerpted part of her lawsuit that reads,

The defendants . . . determined among themselves that persons who harbored beliefs concerning certain deference and respect toward animals displayed and shown at the circus presentation of defendant Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Circus were to be deemed suspicious and must be excluded and removed from the property.

But according to Clyde Beatty-Cole vice president of administration Renee Story, the circus attempted to eject Ross only after she had repeatedly left her seat and rushed toward the animals to take photographs. The circus employees considered Ross’ behavior disruptive and potentially unsafe and, according to Story, “Several times she was escorted back to her seat.”

The New York Journal News reports that,

After the performance, Storey said, Ross screamed at staff members giving elephant rides and the patrons taking them.

Yeah, it sounds like Clyde Beatty-Cole employees didn’t have any good reason at all to call police to remove Ross from the premises.

Sources:

Putnam woman sues circus. Cara Matthews, New York Journal News, July 21, 2003.

Animal-rights activist sues circus over ejection. Associated Press, July 21, 2003.

Australian Cities Approve Circuses with Exotic Animals

The Rockingham and Cockburn city councils in Australia recently voted to allow circuses with exotic animals to per form in those municipalities. In Rockingham the vote was 8-2 to allow the Lennon Bros. Circus — which includes elephants, tigers and other exotic animals — to perform in the city.

This comes after the Stardust Circus was banned in January from performing with exotic animals in the city of Perth. The Sunday Times (Australia) reported that 17 cities in western Australia have instituted similar bans on circuses that include exotic animals.

According to The Sunday Times, Australia’s Royal Society for the Protection of Animals opposes the use of exotic animals in circuses and had urged the two cities to ban the circuses.

Animal Liberation (WA) president Michael Zampogna complained to The Sunday Times,

No matter how much these circus operators purport to care for their animals, there’s no way they can give them the conditions they require. . . . I’ve actually seen the performance in question and having Arna [an Asian elephant] trot out and sit on a barrel . . . it’s a parody of what you would expect an elephant to be.

Rockingham mayor Chris Elliott told The Sunday Times that he didn’t care that other Australian cities had banned circus animals,

What the City of Perth chooses to do is its business; we’re in the business of providing good government for Rockingham

Source:

Council nod to circus animals. Tim Ayling, The Sunday Times (Australia), April 27, 2003.

Pamelyn Ferdin Gets Her Day in Court

Former child star, actress and animal rights activist Pamelyn Ferdin was scheduled to make an appearance in Federal Court on March 3 to appeal her conviction and 30 day sentence stemming from a protest at a circus.

Ferdin was arrested in the 2000 protest when two college security officers observed her carrying a bull hook which she was showing to passers by.

State Judge John Gunn found her guilty and sentenced her to 30 days in jail. Ferdin appealed and the appeal is scheduled to be decided by the 9th Circuit Federal Court of Appeals in Pasadena, California.

Source:

Original voice of Lucy on Peanuts specials take her case to the Federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Press Release, Paul Jensen and Pamelyn Ferdin, February 27, 2003.

Edmonton Rejects Ban on Circus Animals

Earlier this month the Edmonton City Council rejected a proposed ban on circus animals by a vote of 8-4.

The proposed ban had threatened the 55th annual Shrine circus scheduled for Edmonton from March 7-9. Bruce Hogle, a spokesman for the Al Shamal Shriners, told The Edmonton Journal,

We are ecstatic about this. We’ll continue to entertain thousands of children from Edmonton, central and northern Alberta. The animals are well taken care of. We’ve never been charged by the Edmonton or Alberta SPCA. We’ve never been warned by any organization.

Tove Reece of Voice of Animals, one of the groups supporting the proposed ban, told The Edmonton Journal that the vote was a “huge loss for animals” and urged people not to go to the circus.

Edmonton City Councillor Ron Hayter attacked the proposal and accused the activists of engaging in “misleading propaganda.” The Edmonton Journal reported that Hayter said,

It’s [the proposed ban] an attempt of the few to impose their idea of what is right on the many. I don’t like their tactics, their efforts to confuse and mislead. In my 25 years on council, I have learned to ignore the shrill voices of fanatics.

Source:

Councillor claws animal rights activists: Circus animals won’t be banned. Bob Gilmour, The Edmonton Journal, February 12, 2003.

PETA Bails Out Protestor After All

After People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sent protestor Rachelle Thorne dressed as the devil (how apropos) to dance on the grave of Gunther Gebel-Williams, PETA spokeswoman Brandi Valladolid told local news media that PETA has a policy of not bailing out such protestors when they are arrested.

How odd, then, that Florida media reported today that Rachelle Thorne was released from jail on July 20 after a PETA staff member posted her $1,000 bail.