Circus rejects animal rights activists
Two animal rights activists who turned up unannounced at the circus in Naxxar were disappointed when the owner asked them to leave – despite making a public invitation two days ago.
Fleur Cilia Bucket, from World Events to End Animal Cruelty (Weeac) Malta, and a friend walked into a tent where the animals are kept in pens at about 3pm and later made their way to the outdoor area near the tigers.
At that point, the owner of Circo Fantasy, Mario Sali, spotted them and asked them to leave, Ms Cilia Bucket said.
She told him that she went there because he had said, through the media, that animal activists were welcome to visit.
She referred to his comments reported by various media outlets, including The Times, in which Mr Sali said: “Animal rights activists have to spend a month with us to see how we treat our animals before they dish out criticism.”
A spokesman for the Circo Fantasy said the activists were asked to leave because they trespassed on private property. Besides, they did so at about 3pm, when the animals were resting.
The invite extended to the activists was still valid, so long as they were accompanied by a member of an authority such as the police, local council or animal welfare.
Asked why, he explained that the reality was that activists usually had an agenda and the circus would not want any surprises. The spokesman warned activists the police would be called in if they trespassed again.
Ms Cilia Bucket said that, yesterday, Mr Sali told her that she needed a permit from the local council to be inside the circus. When she went to the local council, she said she was told to go to the police. The police did not know of any such permits either, she said.
The circus had been the subject of controversy as Naxxar residents objected to its location, originally in a field bordering St Paul Street. The location was then changed to the parking area in front of the former trade fair grounds.
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13 Comments
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Christopher Debattista
Dec 20th 2012, 11:21
@ Rosalind Agius - In fact he did yesterday hehe. I am against animal circuses and yes, he did contradict himself big time !
Rosalind Agius
Nov 11th 2012, 07:56
First he invites the animal activists and than he kicks them out when he realises that two did go. Mr Sali contradicts himself, maybe he should sit in a cage for some time and see how that feels.
P. Ciantar
Nov 10th 2012, 15:32
Private Property ? What private property?
Nyal Xuereb
Nov 10th 2012, 13:29
"were asked to leave because they trespassed on private property"... erm... since when is Malta the property of this Mario Sali fellow?
Mark Saliba
Nov 11th 2012, 08:37
Come on, don't be naive. If he's leasing the area it becomes private property. Can I just barge into your house because you don't own the whole country?
Forewording: I don't support animal cruelty in circuses. The guy has a valid point though, there are loads of cases of animal right activists going into labs all the time and releasing the animals. That could be VERY dangerous for everyone!
D Borg
Nov 10th 2012, 13:23
Well this is nearly a win-win situation…
All those who claim they go to circuses since it is the only chance they have to watch live ‘wild’ animals, can now kick their LCs (forget the lazy cops), and organise visits to Naxxar, wherein they can get face to face with these animals….free of charge.
Thus they will not be financing the exploitation of such enslaved animals.
G Schembri
Nov 10th 2012, 19:06
Why don't you sit in a cage for the rest of your life, they you can be as sarcastic as you want about the enslaved animals.
Daniel Mercieca
Nov 10th 2012, 11:21
it seems to be a trait for local councils to send you to other departments. The same happened to me last week. I went to Dock 1 to take some photos. I didnt trespass any signs and was stopped by a guy who said he would let me in if i get permission from the mayor. I wrote to the mayor asking him for this permission which he said he couldnt grant as the council has nothing to do with Dock 1.
M Farrugia
Nov 10th 2012, 10:43
La verita offende. this is why they do not want surprise visitors on site because such vists confirm the reality ofhow animals live. Such things happn all over th world i had a similarindent in Eygpt Cairo and Bussels. They speak outto the press that activists are welcomed to impress andnth else. They should have informed the press that to visit you must be accompanied. Something that the police.
Mario Farrugia
Nov 10th 2012, 10:17
The people should boycott such shows, unless this starts happening, nothing will change.
Peter Murray
Nov 10th 2012, 14:14
Same action which should betaken wtth the karrozin's I would suggest-but ,sad to say,will this realistically happen?
Mr Stanley Fenech
Nov 10th 2012, 10:12
Mr. Sali, if you make an invitation get ready for the invites. One cannot expect that activists are going to be hand held by a police agent for a whole month, unless this was a cheap media scam from Mr. Sali to gain sympathy from the general public. But I really hope that it will backfire, as he now clearly showed that he never intended to fulfill his invitation.
Peter Murray
Nov 10th 2012, 09:36
Just goes to show that this self-confessed "friend of -and to- the animals" is just that -all show!
Please choose the reason of your report below: