Protests at every circus performance in Coventry!!

posted 2-3-05

Martin Lacey`s `Great` British Circus were at Coventry`s Greyhound Stadium last week where they attracted protests before every single one of their performances through the week. Despite freezing and often very wet weather, the demos were attended by anything upto 13 protesters from across the Midlands and received some great TV and other media coverage.

This circus has one of the largest collection of animals(many of them wild) of any circus still touring the UK. Their menagerie includes lions, tigers, camels, zebra, llama, horses, ponies, goats and reindeer!! These animals lead a pathetic, miserable existence, performing unnatural, demeaning tricks in the ring and tied up or caged between performances. Their home is nothing more than a mobile prison!!

A demo took place before all the afternoon and evening shows throughout the week. Protesters held up posters condemning animal circuses, urging the general public to boycott them. Leaflets were handed to all those that would take them. The demos attracted much media attention, Channel 4 and BBC Midlands Today covered the protests as did various newspapers. See an article from the Coventry Evening Telegraph below.

On Thursday evening, campaigners and members of the public attended a circus film showing, organised by Coventry Animal Alliance, in Coventry City Centre. The film showed the horrific reality of the way animals are treated in circuses. A wildlife documentary was also screened, which showed how these animals live in their natural habitat, roaming miles everyday enjoying their freedom.

Local groups across the Midlands will continue to protest whenever an animal circus comes to their area. If you`d like to get involved, please contact your local group. Click here for a list of groups across the West Midlands. For more information about animal circuses and to find out how you can help stop their cruelty, click on the Captive Animals Protection Society logo, to go to their website.

Animal circus draws protesters Feb 25 2005 - Coventry Evening Telegraph   Animal rights protesters are staging a vigil at Coventry Stadium while a circus featuring live animal shows is taking place. Members of Coventry Animal Alliance say they will gather at the Rugby Road stadium until the Great British Circus, which features lions and tigers, completes its run on Sunday. The circus has caused a storm of protest among group members, who said stadium bosses had previously told them live animal acts would no longer take place on their ground. Stadium commercial manager Jeremy Heaver said: "We took the decision last year to not run the circus principally to concentrate the minds of the protesters. "We listened to what the protesters said and we wanted to appease them. "Now we are the only greyhound track that has a regular [greyhound] protest and we feel we are not being listened to." He added: "We have looked at this particular circus and we feel a lot of the claims were unfounded." Animal Alliance member John Curtin branded bosses at the stadium "hypocrites". He said: "When we protest about greyhound racing, they say they are concerned about animal welfare but this decision shows they are not. "Circuses are cruel and belong to the dark ages - there is no place for them in modern society." Protester Janet Cummings, from Rugby, said they had received good feedback from passers-by. She said: "People have been hooting their horns. "It was so cold last night - everyone must have been concerned about the animals." A Great British Circus spokesman said they were told the circus was prevented from visiting the site last year because building work was taking place. He said: "If these people are suggesting we are cruel to animals they have a moral duty to prosecute us. "If not, we can only assume they are telling fibs." He said the circus had won circus and animal husbandry awards from trade magazine World's Fair.

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