Activists Attacked at Circus Demo
Sheffield Animal Rights Group | 16.06.2006 19:23 | Animal Liberation | Sheffield
On wednesday 14th June 2006 activists were attacked and arrested at the opening night of The Spirit of the Horse in Bakewell. Please read on and consider helping the campaign against the circus.
Two activists attended the opening night of the Spirit of the Horse in Bakewell, to protest against the use of animals in entertainment. They proceeded to leaflet members of the public queuing to enter the big top. The audience was responsive, but the organisers were much more hostile. They were exceptionally aggressive in removing the first of the protestors and physically carried the second away to the road, shocking members of the public. The protestors continued to hand out literature detailing the suffering of the horses in circuses. A member of the circus then took particular offence to one of the activists, chasing him away with a metal rod pulled from a farm fence and then punching him in the chest. The attacker from the circus was shouting abuse in perfect English and called the police to make allegations of racial assault, this call was also made in fluent English.
The police soon arrived and arrested the two activists on suspicion of racially aggravated assault and criminal damage. The criminal damage was in reference to some placards advertising the show, which were allegedly damaged.
The activists were held in police custody for 24 hours, as the man who attacked the protestors claimed he could not speak English and needed an interpreter, to exaggerate the false allegation of racism. (Or maybe the delay was because the police were watching the World Cup, rather than carrying out their duties.) The activists were then released with all charges dropped, but the police had no intentions of arresting anyone from the circus!
Clearly genuine animal rights activists do not hold negative views against any race, as they would respect all life. The claims of racism put forward by members of the circus were completely fictitious.
Please act against The Spirit of the Horse, as they clearly have a blatant disregard for human and non-human life. Please organise a protest against them for when they come to your area. For venues see their website
https://secure.equestriantheatre.co.uk/bookings/venuelisting.asp
For more details and resources on animals in circuses please contact CAPS http://www.captiveanimals.org/
The police soon arrived and arrested the two activists on suspicion of racially aggravated assault and criminal damage. The criminal damage was in reference to some placards advertising the show, which were allegedly damaged.
The activists were held in police custody for 24 hours, as the man who attacked the protestors claimed he could not speak English and needed an interpreter, to exaggerate the false allegation of racism. (Or maybe the delay was because the police were watching the World Cup, rather than carrying out their duties.) The activists were then released with all charges dropped, but the police had no intentions of arresting anyone from the circus!
Clearly genuine animal rights activists do not hold negative views against any race, as they would respect all life. The claims of racism put forward by members of the circus were completely fictitious.
Please act against The Spirit of the Horse, as they clearly have a blatant disregard for human and non-human life. Please organise a protest against them for when they come to your area. For venues see their website
https://secure.equestriantheatre.co.uk/bookings/venuelisting.asp For more details and resources on animals in circuses please contact CAPS
http://www.captiveanimals.org/
Sheffield Animal Rights Group
e-mail:
shefuniarinfo@riseup.net
Additions
'Michael Caine'
05.07.2006 12:47
Hello
I am form Sheffield Animal Rights, who posted the original article, and would like to clarify a few points.
The statement 'Clearly genuine animal rights activists do not hold negative views against any race, as they would respect all life.' remains true, with the key word being GENUINE. It is not a case of our group giving guidlines to other activists, but simple fact. People are animals, and so a GENUINE animal rights activists would also care for the rights of people - if somebody was to call themselves animal rights, but hold racist veiws, then they realy wouldnt be animal rights at all.
Also, there is are clear historical links between animal rights activists and anti racist activists. Hunt saboteurs have continualy been approached by the National Front and been told them were to go. I also once worked for the vegan campaigning group Viva! Before one Viva! protest against the religious slaughter of animals(to highlight the methods of killing without painkillers) the BNP rang up to let us know that they'd be coming along and were told that they would not be welcome. I myself am in contact with hunt saboteurs and AR activists across the country and know of many people campaigning on both fronts.
As for London fur demo 'racism', the chances are that the London AR activists were labeled as racist, just as we from Sheffield were, when they were probably just protesting against animal abuse. If they had shouted racist abuse then they shouldn't, and usualy wouldnt be welcomed by AR activists. And either way it was over 15 years ago!
By calling youreself Rabbits dont cry you have exposed yourself as being a insensitive bastard.
Go find something constructive to do.
I am form Sheffield Animal Rights, who posted the original article, and would like to clarify a few points.
The statement 'Clearly genuine animal rights activists do not hold negative views against any race, as they would respect all life.' remains true, with the key word being GENUINE. It is not a case of our group giving guidlines to other activists, but simple fact. People are animals, and so a GENUINE animal rights activists would also care for the rights of people - if somebody was to call themselves animal rights, but hold racist veiws, then they realy wouldnt be animal rights at all.
Also, there is are clear historical links between animal rights activists and anti racist activists. Hunt saboteurs have continualy been approached by the National Front and been told them were to go. I also once worked for the vegan campaigning group Viva! Before one Viva! protest against the religious slaughter of animals(to highlight the methods of killing without painkillers) the BNP rang up to let us know that they'd be coming along and were told that they would not be welcome. I myself am in contact with hunt saboteurs and AR activists across the country and know of many people campaigning on both fronts.
As for London fur demo 'racism', the chances are that the London AR activists were labeled as racist, just as we from Sheffield were, when they were probably just protesting against animal abuse. If they had shouted racist abuse then they shouldn't, and usualy wouldnt be welcomed by AR activists. And either way it was over 15 years ago!
By calling youreself Rabbits dont cry you have exposed yourself as being a insensitive bastard.
Go find something constructive to do.
Sheffield Animal Rights Group
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