The Greatest Circus Protest on Earth?
Over 500 animal advocates greeted circus-goers at the Staples Center in Los Angeles for a massive demonstration which has been called “The Greatest Circus Protest on Earth”.
Organized by ADI in conjunction with several other activist groups, the protest took place on the opening night of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in Los Angeles. Circus-goers were asked to ‘Break the Chain’ by staying away from Ringling’s circus performances; thousands of leaflets were distributed.
A video of the protest can be viewed on ADI’s YouTube channel by clicking here.
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus recently settled a case with the USDA for violations of the Animal Welfare Act. The $270,000 fine paid in November is the largest in history for such violations. Owner Kenneth Feld, CEO of Feld Entertainment, denied any wrong doing and said in a statement, “We look forward to working with the USDA in a cooperative and transparent manner that meets our shared goal of ensuring that our animals are healthy and receive the highest quality care,”. Feld also adamantly argues that the Traveling Exotic Animal Protection Act (H.R. 3359) is completely unnecessary and is an “attack on an American tradition.”
Also, in November, the Piccadilly Circus, a traveling animal circus act passed though Southern California, however, due to lack of interest and poor ticket sales, the circus canceled most of their performances.
- Contact our Los Angeles office for leaflets and posters when the circus comes to town by calling (323)935-2234 or by email usa@ad-international.org
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