17yr old Activist Assaulted & Threatened by Circus

by wtf Wed Sep 17, 2008 23:37

it's disturbing that a lot of these animal circuses still get taxpayers' money from the arts council.

by Catlady Thu Sep 18, 2008 17:42

Indeed WTF,

How the Arts council can go on funding these people, who on top of numerous conviction, are prepared to attack teenagers at random, is a total disgrace. But then isn't the woman responsible from a circus background herself??? I believe so although I can't seem to recall her name. hardly an unbiased judge of what constitutes art then, is she?

by Fred Johnston Sat Sep 20, 2008 13:25

I have often thought it ludicrous that the Arts Council should begin to fund Circuses, thus making State-sponsored organisations mythically famous for being one's last escape from the conventional. Ironically, during the week at least one TD, as I recall, was protesting about circuses and how animals were treated in them; nonetheless, the Arts Council, appearing to wish to 'umbrella' every last item of creativity and/or entertainment and leave nothing that can operate independently of - effectively - State sanction, will no doubt continue to fund circuses, whatever the complaint. It is worth noting that their usual reply to protest is silence. The Council tend, outside Dublin, to take advice on what is and isn't worthy of funding from Arts Officers, which, in some cases, has the makings of disaster and money uselessly spent. One way, and perhaps the only way, to get Arts Council attention is to protest in writing directly to the Minister.

by Ciarán Sat Sep 20, 2008 16:01

As this is a Russian circus, it isn't funded by the Irish Arts Council, so that point is facile. In relation to local authority Arts Officers: they play a valuable role in informing the Arts Council what's going on on the ground in the different areas, otherwise more public money would be wasted on failed arts projects such as the one you can read about at the link below.

by Catlady Sun Sep 21, 2008 00:56

This circus is indeed Irish, and funded by the Arts council, so the above statements are by no means facile. It is owned by Ricky Courtney. The Courtneys have a track record of animal abuse and Health and Safety violations, at least 2 of which have lead to human death. Add this to the numerous attacks on members of the public, and it is difficult to justify their being funded by the Arts Council.

by Ciarán Sun Sep 21, 2008 01:34

I stand corrected in relation to that then, thanks for the info.

by Fred Johnston Sun Sep 21, 2008 14:43

Without at all wishing to twist the direction of this argument, it is facile to suppose that every Arts Officer in the country has an intimate knowledge of the arts activities in his or her area and can give in-depth reports of them to the Arts Council. This is not the case, as any local arts' group will tell you. An Arts Officer operates according to personal likes and dislikes more times than enough, and may colour the perceptions passed on to the Arts Council with these preferences. It is rare to find an Arts Officer who initiates projects or works of art.

by Catlady Fri Sep 26, 2008 03:40

I see your point FJ. My objections to funding animal circuses are primarily with the cruelty involved. I'd rather waste a thousand frustrated talents than have anyone suffer pain and abuse. However I did not realise the way funding worked through the council as regards Arts officers, and I agree that it is ridiculous. That however is a different issue.

With circuses it is slightly different as they travel (a large part of the misery for the caged animals), and the funding comes directly from head office (to my knowlegdge - correct me if I am wrong anyone)

However, writing to the minister (of anything) achieves little. As regards circuses and animals (to bring this back on track) the best bet is leafletting and protests etc.

I'm bloody sick writing letters to these people (Ministers). Most don't even acknowledge it, unless there's an election coming up.

by joe public - none Mon Oct 06, 2008 23:40

just to inform you, only 3 circuses in ireland are funded by the arts council, TOM DUFFYS, FOSSETTS AND GERBOLAS, and as a tax payer i will gladly give my share to these people, their entertainment is family friendly, as for illtreating animals, no case has ever been brought up against any irish owned circus, i would support you on any other issue except the irish circus, i have had pets, over the years we lost most of them through old age, the latest was a dog we had for 18yrs, his walk had gone and he was uncomfortable, it broke my heart to get him put down but i coud`nt bare to see him in pain, money is no object when it comes to the well being of my pets, just to let you know i am a circus fan, i have never seen any circus illtreat their animals, i have seen more illtreatment on the estate where i live in limerick, never once in a circus and i have been a circus fan for over 30yrs,

by Catlady Tue Oct 07, 2008 22:53

And the Courtney circuses???????????? same that were responsible fo so many health and safety breaches leading to HUMAN deaths recently?

Please tell me they are no longer funded by the Arts Council, as the last I heard from them (The Arts Council) they were. They ARE Irish. They just call themselves the Russian, Australian etc. Circus at whim to drum up custom. Possibly to avoid charges, most certainly to avoid negative publicity.

"as for illtreating animals, no case has ever been brought up against any irish owned circus"s

You are wrong. I do not mean to antagonise if you are a genuine joe soap to this issue, but provide your evidence and I'll provide mine. Numerous cases brought. Where do I start?????

"i have had pets, over the years we lost most of them through old age, the latest was a dog we had for 18yrs, his walk had gone and he was uncomfortable, it broke my heart to get him put down but i coud`nt bare to see him in pain, money is no object when it comes to the well being of my pets"

Glad to hear it!!!!! Had a cat put to sleep this year. Horrible decision to have to make. You gotta trust your vet. Anyone in Tuam, I can reccommend with real reasons! Keeping domestic animals is NOT tje same as circuses.

"i have never seen any circus illtreat their animals"

Reply: I never ever ever saw my neignbour beat the crap out of his wife. Or his dog. I heard it before though, cos the houses are attached. Just cos you don't see it, don't mean it don't happen.
PS: Wife left 2 years ago. Dog on very short chain, has no choice. He is beatebn regularly. I see it. Not long before i crack.....

by joe public - none Wed Oct 08, 2008 16:57

fao catlady,

the death of the artiste was human error, every artiste is in charge of their own equipment, deaths have happened in every business in the world circus is no differant, let that person rest in peace and it is the so called abuse of circus animals we were discussing, not wife beating or deaths of people, that is hitting below the belt, your reply is true to what you stand for, no respect for anything including the dead, and the person who is suppose to have attacked the 17yr old is a man in his 60s, i know him and it take a lot for him to get angry, you said numerous cases were brought against circuses none were up before the courts, thats all i have to say on this subject because as usual like the rest of the animal rights you twist peoples words to make out ye know it all,

BECAUSE ALL MY DAYS ARE "CIRCUS DAYS"

by Catlady Tue Oct 28, 2008 02:11

February 2008:
A Judge made Circus Vegas pay undisclosed damages to a man who claimed he had been head-butted by an elephant at the circus in 2006. The Dublin man said that the elephant had struck him on his forehead with one of his tusks, causing a laceration to his forehead which had to be stitched.
(Irish Times, 14 February 2008)

December 2006:
Circus owner Stephen Courtney and employee Fransisco Daria were convicted of causing a collision in which a mother and daughter were killed in Galway in April 2006.
A trailer had become detached from the circus lorry, driven by Daria, colliding with a car.
Daria was convicted of dangerous driving and Courtney of ‘reckless endangerment’ for allowing the trailer to be attached in a defective manner.
Both were given suspended prison sentences and Courtney was fined €25,000.
(Irish Times, 21 December 2006)

May 2006:
Irish Sunday Mirror claimed that elephants at Circus Vegas were left to roam amongst “broken bottles, nails, metal pipes and jagged rocks” at Belfast’s Harland and Wolff Shipyard.
(Sunday Mirror, 28 May 2006)

May 2006:
A Circus Vegas truck carrying elephants caught fire while travelling on the M50 from Dublin to Belfast. Elephants and circus staff were uninjured.
(Sun, 23 May 2006)

April 2006:
A CAPS representative was verbally abused and threatened with physical assault while inspecting Circus Vegas in Galway.
(Star Sunday, 9 April 2006)

January 2006:
A lorry transporting a rhino and hippo from Il Florilegio in Italy to Circus Vegas in Ireland was involved in a road traffic accident in west Wales then broke down. It was diverted from Fishguard port to Holyhead.
(Daily Mirror, 20 January 2006)

July 2004:
Six members of the Alliance for Animal Rights were attacked whilst handing out flyers at Circus Vegas in Dublin. An ambulance attended the scene and gardai arrested and charged one circus employee. All six activists were punched, kicked and thrown to the ground, some requiring stitches. A video camera was taken and smashed by the circus.
(Northside People, 20 July 2004)

Need I go on?????