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Clown arrested for assaulting protestor |
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AN ANIMAL rights group has called on a controversial animal circus to sack its clown, from Whitehaven, after he was arrested for attacking peaceful protesters – his second such arrest in less than a year. Protesters, including members of Captive Animals' Protection Society (Caps) and the local RSPCA, were holding a peaceful demonstration outside Peter Jolly's Circus in Goole, Humberside, on July 19 to highlight the plight of animals in travelling circuses. According to people on the protest, shortly after they arrived the clown was driving into the site, reversed and drove back, knocking into one of the protesters.
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 Arrested: Stanley Thompson |
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A press photographer took photos of the incident and the police were called. They arrested the clown, stage name Sparky, real name Stanley Thompson, from Whitehaven. Humberside police confirmed that a 29-year-old man from Cumbria was arrested on suspicion of assault and was fined £80 for a public order offence. Last October Sparky was arrested in full make-up after allegedly punching a female protester and damaging a camera in Bolton. He was given a police caution for common assault and another circus worker was fined for a public disorder offence. Peter Jolly's Circus is one of just eight in the UK to still use animals, including a bear, horses, fox, reindeer, snakes, alligators, zebras and camels. Caps campaign manager Craig Redmond stated: "The government has agreed to ban the use of some animals in circuses and this could result in Peter Jolly's Circus being stopped from carting animals like the bear from town to town just for a short appearance in the big top. "A travelling circus, by its very nature, is totally incapable of meeting all the needs of animals and it is time to end the outdated use of performing animals in circuses." Caps was founded in 1957 and campaigns on issues relating to wildlife in captivity and the use of animals in entertainment. http://www.whitehaven-news.co.uk/leisure/viewarticle.aspx?id=393743 |
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