Although they were tied to the man with ropes attached to their collars, the monkeys appear to have decided to fight back. The two animals came to the defence of the third monkey, grabbing the stick from the man, pulling on his ear and biting his head. When he dropped his cane, on monkey snatched it up and began beating the trainer on the head until he broke the stick, witnesses said. The dazed trainer told his audience: "They were once wild and these performances don't always come naturally to them. They may have built up some feelings of hatred towards me." Local police are apparently investigating allegations of animal cruelty and may confiscate the monkeys from the man. Performances with monkeys are a common sight in markets and squares in China, but the treatment of the animals is frequently criticised by animal rights organisations.