MASON CITY – The circus came to town, but not everyone was gleeful about the show.
Last week, a petition was started by a young Mason City woman to tell the Chamber of Commerce that some people do not appreciate the circus as a form of entertainment, and that it’s not wanted here. A few days – and a little publicity – later, the petition had well over 200 signatures with more coming in.
On Saturday, Brianna Flores, who started the petition, went to the North Iowa Events Center with some other supporters to protest the circus show. They stood outside the main gate of the Events Center grounds protesting the alleged animal cruelty within the Shrine Circus that was performing in the Four Season Center Building this weekend.
“We are here to protest peacefully and raise awareness. To let the people of North Iowa know that the animals deserve better, ” Brianna explained. “We are the voice for the voiceless.”
Madison Porisch, Brianna’s boyfriend, elaborated, saying “I think that it’s time for people to do the right thing. There is no financial gain for the community great enough for the animals to be exposed to such cruelty. It’s just cheap entertainment.”
One of Madison’s signs read “Honk for the Animals”. Bystanders reported a count of twenty-five honks during the hour of the protest.
A lot of “people put their hands in front of them, not wanting their picture taken as they drove to watch the unnatural performance of these exploited animals,” another person told NIT.
“If the circus comes back next year, we’ll be here again,” said Breanna. “People need to know of the inhumane way that these animals are treated.”
The small group will be out protesting at each show. If you’d like to join them, they’d be happy to have you. More detailed cruelty of the animals are told, by Breanna, in the video.
Reportedly, a complaint was made to police about on an elephant at the fairgrounds. The caller said the animal had sores on its body and the handlers were not treating it correctly.
Well, at least now I understand what “seeker” was referring to in another post. I can’t say I disagree with her on circuses but she was way off base about the pugs.
The event center is not making money. They are resorting to anything to bring in a dime. They have sponsored the Night Storm dances in the past and those are just dances for kids to behave badly. Sad what they are resorting to.
I’d have to agree with this, although, of course, I have never seen the “books” at the Events Center. The place looks lost, it’s falling apart. Elected officials don’t seem to care, either. Just driving onto the grounds is a bummer, one might feel like turning around in a big hurry and going somewhere fun, if such a place exists around here. I’d say that the NI Events Center needs to be bulldozed (sell all the land) and re-built elsewhere, with a whole new board and rules, if it ever hopes to become anything more than a wart on the MC landscape.
@Matt-Doesn’t anyone understand they want it to fail so they have a reason to push for the civic center. I a of the opinion they want the mall to fail as well so they can use that for a civic center or tear it down and use the land. Either way they get what they are after.
I’d hope with the sale of the land they could use that money to start over. With such a tiny commitment from MC, CG county and CL over the years, those entities owe it to chip in along with the sale proceeds to make a go of a new location, somewhere between MC and CL. The downtown arena deal is a no-go. The city is in bad financial shape in that we now see the chickens home to roost in skyrocketing taxes and fees. I believe most of the TIF is used up too. The boobs who were pushing the arena previously already gave up based on these realities.
@Matt-I certainly hope you are right, but, they have never shown any restraint in the past and are fully capable of trying to push it through again by raising taxes again. They just don’t care as long as they get what they want. It becomes more of a possibility if the mall goes into bankruptsy and they can pick it up cheap. Watch out for it.
For sure. The people of MC should be on high alert at all times with these buffoons running things. They are getting robbed left and right and don’t seem to care. We could all wake up one day and see that construction has already started. I will tell you this much, Eric’s pal, Brett Schoneman is building condos in a seedy neighborhood, right by where Eric wanted to put the arena (kitty corner of the MCFD headquarters). That should put everyone opposed to the arena on high alert. BS is banking on a big revival over there. You could say he bought stock in a very down and out neighborhood. Does he have some inside information?
About time a group of people stand up for whats right! Animals belong in the WILD elephants are group animals they strive on companionship. Subjecting them to a cage and tricks is just cruel! I’m all for circuses that revolve around HUMAN ACTS. Circuses are disgusting. Like Matt said its a smelly gross environment! Think how those animals feel being contained to it day in day out. PETITION SIGNED!
Kudos to these young people trying to make a difference. To me, it’s a no-brainer. Cirque du Solei is the model for the new Circus paradigm–Circuses should be following it. Do away with the animal performances and rely on acrobatics and death defying feats…throw in some clowns, juggling acts, maybe a motorcycle stunt man, and it should make for interesting entertainment. Using animals who have no voices of their own to protest, is not fair.
As long as that motorcycle has a legal exhaust system of course… Only then will Peter be silent on the matter… riiiiiight
I think for special events at the Fairgrounds, if motorcycles were involved in an entertainment show, it’d be okay for them to have loud engines for effect. It’s the day to day driving in front of homes when people are trying to enjoy their properties, their homes, their peace and quiet that is offensive. But you know this. You’re a big boy aren’t you Jim? Still trying to help your pal at the OP huh?
I went to the circus here in MC a couple of years ago. Smelled like a sewer in the building. I guess I just don’t get it. I looked around and saw all these people munching popcorn and drinking their sugary sodas, and the place was disgusting. How can you eat in that environment? Does the smell of hay, urine and feces give you people the munchies? Geez. I could’t wait to get out of there.
It always amazed me that people prefer premium gas in their cars but don’t think about putting premium fuel in their bodies. I’m talking about non processed healthy foods.
Speaking of sugary sodas and munching on popcorn look at those protesters. For the smell of of hay and urine and feces thats every day farm life city boy. You also say you couldn’t wait to get out of there, were they holding you hostage or were you just enjoying the show.
I’d like to think I’m a “city boy”, but MC is not really a “city” as you describe; it is a small, dwindling town. Big, big stretch you are making. Anyway, very weak comment from you. Making fun of people’s appearance to bolster your lame argument that animals are not mistreated at circus’s? Where is the correlation? Feeble-minded people such as yourself cannot argue intelligently; you HAVE proven that much today, Jeremy S.