4:00pm Monday 22nd September 2008
By Rachel Fitch
Protesters held a demonstration outside a circus which uses animal acts.
They gathered at the visiting Great British Circus in London Road, Stanway, just before the show on Saturday evening.
The circus claims to be Britain’s biggest animal circus and includes lions, tigers, reindeer and zebras in its programme.
Essex Vegans member Val Oliver, from Colchester, was among the 20 campaigners at the site.
She said: “The circus says what it is doing has environmental benefits but I don’t agree with that unless it has a breeding programme and is releasing animals back into the wild like Colchester Zoo does.”
Circus director Martin Lacey, who is the lion and tiger tamer, said it had been vindicated by a Government report.
He said: “The study used six scientists, who said that circuses are quite capable of meeting the welfare needs of animals."
A spokesman for Essex Police said they were called to the site by staff from the Great British Circus who claimed protesters were verbally abusing customers. However, when officers arrived they found the protest was lawful.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.gazette-news.co.uk