[VIDEO] Safety official ‘harass’ circus protesters
A peaceful protest soon turned into "harassment and intimidation," says protesters.
A small group of protesters were”harassed and intimidated” by a Mogale City Public Safety official while peacefully protesting against using animals for financial gain.
The protesters are from Ban Animal Trading (Bat) and held up large posters and banners reading “Animals are not entertainment!” on the pavement close to where a circus made its rounds in Krugersdorp.
A man, dressed in civilian clothing and arriving in his personal vehicle, soon addressed them and asked them to remove the banners and leave the grounds.
The Bat activists caught this encounter on video and proceeded to post it on their YouTube channel. According to Cheryl Phillips, a member of Bat, he knew he was being recorded on video.
“The land the circus is renting is Council land, yes, but the sidewalk is public property, to which we, the taxpayers and citizens of this country, have a right. The Gatherings Act was produced as proof of our legitimacy to no avail, and peaceful negotiations were attempted, but the apparent official became threatening and aggressive,” the video description read.
The activist group further stated on its Facebook page the attack was unwarranted and unconstitutional, and they will pursue the case through legal channels.
“We will investigate the circumstances and give a comprehensive response when we have finalised our investigation,” Mogale City Local Municipality’s spokesperson Nkosana Zali said.
“Generally, we can say that ours is a democratic society and no views, however uncomfortable, can or should be suppressed. However, we are all duty-bound to embrace responsibilities that accompany the democracy we live in. We will look at whether there was violation of our by-laws or violation of citizens’ rights to protest.”
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