Ringling Slammed by Largest Protest in New York History

Because
of the throngs of people who had gathered outside to protest, it was hard to spot
those who were trickling into Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Ringling Bros.
circus’s opening night. More than 200 animal advocates came together to make
sure that Ringling’s reception was chillier than a New York winter.

While
half the group circled the block, hoisting signs and chanting, the other half flanked the crosswalks and handed leaflets and educational coloring
books to parents and children.

If
any of the attendees weren’t aware of how Ringling abuses animals, they certainly were after they saw the behind-the-scenes photos of trainers
slamming baby elephants to the ground,
gouging them with steel-tipped bullhooks, and shocking them with electric prods. And if that didn’t do the trick, the
screening of PETA’s video
exposé narrated by Alec Baldwin, which showed trainers beating and tormenting
elephants, moments before a performance likely did.

Many
of the advocates plan to return to the Barclays Center every night that the
circus is in town to make sure that everyone in the Big Apple gets the message
about cruelty under the big top.