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Griffin the goldfish and the matter of animal abuse at fairs

Lynn Sawyer | 04.10.2009 19:29 | Animal Liberation

Every year in Evesham we are subjected to something called the “Mop” Fair which turns the town into a hive of debauchery, noise , disruption and bright fairground rides. Advocates of the Mop like upholding the tradition which goes back centuries when slaves were punished as part of the entertainment and others held up their mops in the hope that someone might employ them so you get the idea that this is not something altogether charming . People put up with it because others enjoy themselves but there is always an air of menace which gets worse year on year along with the rudeness of the fair staff who strut around like they own the place. We decided to have a peek a) because it is right next door b) because there was a rumour that goldfish were being given away as prizes.

Bruise
Bruise


Thursday 2nd October 2009
Unfortunately almost within sight of our home a man was in a wooden ring surrounded by fish suspended on racks in tiny plastic bags. Hundreds more swam in a filthy tank. Loud music and bright lights assailed the poor creatures. We retreated home to decide what to do. The RSPCA were called and they, mistakenly, told us that this disgusting abuse had been banned and we needed to inform both police and council. The police and the out of hours council number were duly called and we gave the authorities a chance to implement common decency. We cannot fault the PC and PCSOs who attended the scene, took this seriously and also contacted the RSPCA for advice as well as “having words” with the abuser. However unfortunately the Animal Welfare Bill 2005 was supposed to include a ban on fish sales was amended to the positively spineless allowance of any abuse of fish as long as no child under 16 participated without guidance of someone over 16. It is therefore legally acceptable for a 16 year old to “supervise” his 15 ½ year old mate in caring for a sentient being. There is no onus on anyone to actually bother checking whether someone is over 16.
Evesham Town Council wrung their hands about the abuse but say that they can only ask the man who runs the fun fair Edward Danter not to sell the fish (even though they give the licence in return or money) and they will probably debate this issue soon. He, Eddie, thinks it’s a nice tradition to abuse animals in public and so we have a problem. Let us make this clear how wrong and cruel this goldfish as prizes is over several points;
1. Tradition at the Mop has including the public humiliation of humans, what next punish a few “criminals” in the stocks, a nice lynching? Years ago a woman was burnt at the stake on the exact site of the Mop , makes a change from watching telly we suppose.
2. It is inarguable that fish suffer pain, are sentient and suffer from stress as much as any of us who classify as sentient beings. Goldfish enjoy cold water, darkness, an ability to hide. To put them on show in tiny bags, with bright lights with vibrations echoing from sound systems is nothing short of torture. It makes a mockery of every scientific fish study ever undertaken. Whatever the excuses of yesteryear, there are none now, furthermore a fair in the 50s would not have had the same noise and light levels. There is an argument that this even surpasses angling in the cruelty stakes, even the aqua pet industry find it disgusting and want a ban.
3. We abhor the exploitation of all animals but in every other case whether it be eating meat or wearing fur the person involved in the abuse has some sort of desire to enjoy the fruits of exploitation. It is unlikely that anyone goes for a night out with the actual anticipation of “winning” a goldfish which makes this utterly mindless. There is absolutely no justification whatsoever, not even “well the kids wanted a fish” because, regrettably, anyone can go and buy a fish from a pet shop.
4. What makes this even more moronic is the fact that even the worst pet shop has some sort of duty of care, and the shop assistant will be able to give some advice and flog basic necessities. “We reserve the right to decline the sale of a pet to anyone without explanation” is a sign often displayed. This idiot on the fish stall would make no such judgements. Drunken yobs can “win” a fish and do as they wish with the poor creature, they are stamped on, flushed down toilets and abused further. We presume that very few “winners” will have 10 gallon, filtered tanks, appropriate food, companions, plants etc waiting at home on the vague premise that they might acquire a fish which if s/he lives may need care for decades.
5. The most sinister aspect of this is that it is aimed at children teaching them that living beings are just things which can be bought, sold, abused and disregarded once they get boring. We are liberationists but even if we accepted the premise that it is morally acceptable to have a pet industry surely the basic moral standard would be that anyone taking on this responsibility will have a tank, the funds to care for the fish, the seeking of knowledge on welfare etc. This is in fact what the law says according to the RSPCA, so even the government accept that pet fish are deserving of basic welfare standards. Edward Danter and his louts only care about making money. We wonder how many of the fish we saw will end up dead abused by Danter, his customers or who die when even well meaning people get them home and do their best.
6. Laughably tiny goldfish bowls were being sold as well. After perusing a few fish care sites apparently what happens after a while is that the fish cannot grow properly and remains stunted, his or her internal organs, however, continue to grow and get crushed causing an excruciating death. What does Danter and his lackeys care about this when they have already made their money?
7. Who on earth is going to feel that their life is less complete with the absence of a goldfish stall? We on meeting these err people have concluded that they are pretty dense but does it really tax the imagination that much to have an alternative, some goldfish shaped sweets for example?

Friday 3rd October 2009
It became obvious that the authorities had failed to do the simplest thing and get fish out of the Mop. It then befell us to do what we could with very limited resources. The Evesham Journal were called and a demonstration announced. This led to the following incident which is described briefly as there may be legal consequences.

It is indeed legal to sell fish and abuse them but it is also legal to hold a peaceful protest. One activist held up a couple of banners on a council owned carpark on Merstow Green she did not touch the stand and remained restrained. There was some, fairly, good natured banter with fairground staff who found this amusing but then the lowlife who ran the fish stall attacked her from behind, robbed her of the posters and ripped them up. His partner screamed at the local activist to leave the area where she lives and tried to assault the activist who stood her ground. An older man joined the fray brandishing a stick. Apparently Danter’s fair staff have the right to push around local people and tell them where they can and can’t stand on public land! The posters were ripped up. The activist not to be outdone marched into the stall and liberated a fish. The animal abuser fish man then attacked the activist from behind causing her to fall straight onto her head, the fish was sent flying onto the tarmac as the 3 assailants 2 men and 1 woman carried on their assault on the lone female activist, as well as trying to stamp on the fish. The activist managed to break free and ran with the fish to save his/her life.

The fish has been called Griffin after the much missed Cambridgeshire activist Pat Griffin who died recently and is in a safe house and doing well despite the ordeal. The activist is covered in bruises but has not sustained any serious or permanent injury. The police are involved but have arrested neither fair workers or the activist. It is expected that no legal action from the police will take place.

Representations will be made to Evesham Council and every council where “Edward Danter’s Fun Fair” turns up to either include a clause in the licence that prohibits the selling or “winning” of any living creatures or to grant no licence at all. Danter can decide whether or not animal abuse is worth the trouble he is now going to face.

For more information on Edward Danter’s Fun Fair go to www.edwarddantersfunfair.co.uk email  info@edwarddanter.co.uk or phone the man himself on 07977 495546 or 07967 538752 and ask him why he abuses animals and why 3 of his workers attacked a lone protestor who was not being violent. We of course ask that all communication be polite and non threatening. Interestingly the website makes no mention of fish, it is a very small part of the very lucrative overall operation which makes it even more bewildering.

Rumour has it that the fair is going to Alcester, then Droitwich. Stratford on Avon might be after that.

For further information about animals used for “amusement” including fish : www.captiveanimals.org
and
 http://www.eveshamjournal.co.uk/news/4662200.Gold_fish_as_prizes_spark_Mop_Fair_demonstration/

Lynn Sawyer
- e-mail: WARN@riseup.net
- Homepage: http://AnimalLiberation.co.uk

Comments

Hide the following 13 comments

The fact that this fair is carried on from a slavery tradition is repellant

04.10.2009 20:17

How can anyone want to have a fair that stems from a slavery tradition? There's no way that this would happen in London or Manchester or Birmingham...and if it did slip through a council loophole it would end in violence.

This is disgusting and should be stopped. Full Stop.

Maybe if we all contact Evesham Council?


Also a polite reminder about Zippos Circus coming to Camden / Hampstead Heath very soon [22 October]...there are posters all over Camden advertising this and little flyers in internet cafes and pubs etc. Remove the damn things where found....Zippos are know for cruel humiliating treatment of animals for entertainment. Lets not leave their adverts untroubled.

As for The Evesham Mop Fair...it's repulsive. Shut em down.

Mandy Ford - Camden, London.
- Homepage: http://www.myspace.com/stopcamdenanimallab


sympathies but you're barking up the wrong tree

04.10.2009 20:25

Firstly, my sympathy to the injured person. Absolutely no one deserves to be attacked in this way and the fair ground people are obviously psychos. But liberating a goldfish? Get a life. It's this kind of absurdly dippy over-sentimental action that gives animal righters a bad name. What winds me up so much about this is that you seem oblivious or unconcerned that entire species are being overfished to extinction in the world's oceans and instead concentrate your attention on a few dozen cuddly wuddly not-exactly-rare golden carp cos they're being exposed to flashing lights and music. Sheesh. Ocean going trawlers meanwhile are hauling net-loads of fish out in their thousands, dumping them on the deck to suffocate and then trampling them and kicking them down into the hold. But the cruelty involved in this industry is utterly trivial in importance compared to the fact that entire species like tuna, cod and haddock are on the brink of population collapse leading to eventual extinction. Let me explain that extinction is final, irreversible and has knock-on effects for entire eco-systems and not just that individual species. So tell me please, why aren't you doing extinction awareness actions at Billingsgate market or at your nearest fishing port or at fish lobbying organisations? And just how ethical a consumer are you? You should be refusing all foods containing palm oil because the palm plantations are destroying rain forests in the far east leading to climate change and extinction of orang utans and other such cuddly species. Every vegan I know slurps their way through gallons of soya milk that has been grown thousands of miles away exclusively on clear cut Brazilian rainforest land so you're paying the bastards for destroying rain forests, bio-diversity and eco-systems. Use oat milk instead which also has far fewer food miles.

fish finger


to...fishfinger

04.10.2009 20:48

Harshly put but you've got a point.

Climate Chaos / extinction of species is the biggest threat to ALL of us regardless of what species we are. You're right about Billingsgate so start a campaign dude.

Mandy


fish finger

04.10.2009 21:15

Every meat-eater I know eats their way through dozens of chickens fed on tonnes of soya that has been grown thousands of miles away exclusively on clear cut Brazilian rainforest land so they're paying the bastards for destroying rain forests, bio-diversity and eco-systems. Eat oats instead which also has far fewer food miles.

Facts:

1. 95% of humans in the UK consume meat.
2. Chickens are over 95% of the animals slaughtered for meat.
3. Chickens are predominantly fed on soya-based diets.
4. It's takes much more soya to feed a chicken to feed you because of wasted energy.

Sorry but who is it paying for the destruction of rain forests? It's not rocket science! Yes many vegans consume soya from unsustainable sources, but meat-eaters outweight the damage done to the environment from their indirect consumption of soya.

PS - Opposing exploitation and oppression is AS important as fighting climate change and species extinction. I don't hear you criticising anti-racists, feminists, no borders, gay and trans activists for their work do I? Of course not. Every life saved is a victory. It's all well and good being an environmentalist but your single issue fundamentalism is misguided.

@


A friend of the captain I presume?

04.10.2009 23:17

Come on ' fish finger' read what you've written. Some brave people, in my opinion, confronted some thugish arseholes who were mistreating vunerable animals and made a stance in defence of said animals - and all you can do is critisize. Take a look in the mirror matey. Something about your name and reasoning smells alittle trolly. Well done to the liberaters.

freedom is freedom


@ fish finger

05.10.2009 07:18

Your arrogance is amazing but let us make ourselves clear. We are also involved in campaigns against climate chaos and attend demos and Climate Camp, we also show solidarity with those who fight the arms trade, fascists etc. We are all aware of and deplore the rape of the oceans. As yet we do not have the power to do several actions acorss the world simultaneously but our scientific bods are working on it. We are all vegan and whilst we are no angels we do our best to limit our own carbon and water footprints. We therefore have no part in the marine holocaust. We agree that a campaign against what is happening in the oceans is a great idea so let us know when you get one started and we will support it.

We are of course assuming that you are also vegan (one of the best ways in which to reduce both carbon and water footprint) and are a dedicated activist on the issues you claim to be passionate about. If not we respectfully suggest that you put your own house in order before pontiicating about the activism of others.

WARN


Ineffective and counter productive

05.10.2009 07:58

As much as this 'action' makes WARN and Lynn feel better it achieved nothing.

It also gives ammunition to those who wish the AR movement to be perceived as a bunch of goldfish obsessed loonies.

Much more discipline is needed in the AR movement.

@itude


Err @ttitude

05.10.2009 09:16

Ok You might not have done the same thing but no-one needs your approval to take on local spontaneous actions. are you prepared to be "on call" so that activists up and down the country can ask you if what they are planning meets with your approval? Also if you are going to criticise at least do it properly:
Why is it wrong to protest against the abuse of fish? Would you object if this was a puppy or a mouse? If so what is the diference?
Why is liberating an animal wrong, why does it achieve nothing? What is it that you do that is so effective? Please share with the group we are all really interested.

Lynn Sawyer


Alcester

05.10.2009 10:26

The fair is setting up in Alcester just 7 miles away. It will be smaller, it is unknown as to whether or not fish will be sold there. The council have been alerted.

WARN


News just in

05.10.2009 12:30

The fair are in Stratford on Avon next week again it is not known for certain whether or not the fish will feature

WARN


well done

05.10.2009 15:15

Do you know what? well done, it might be one fish, but if you asked that fish, I doubt he'd have said "you should have stayed home and watched corrie!"
And as far as the trolls and muppets go, STFU! keyboard warriors achive nothing.
These guys are lucky, lets hope next time their in my area, they'll get a whole lot of fist if they try assaulting any of my group.

keep up the good work, and don't loose touch with your compassion, when we stop caring about the individuals, we loose track of our purpose.
all lives are sacred, even mrs griffin the goldfish's.

ultimately


Hampstead Heath - Zippos Circus is on from 1st - 6th Oct

05.10.2009 17:14

So...go get them [legally of course ho hum]

Mandy


Alcester town council

06.10.2009 10:54

Have been to see the fair and confirmed that no fish are to be sold in Alcester which is a smaller Mop.

WARN