Activists back at circus protesting after harassment

After being “harassed” by a public safety official last Saturday (14 November) during a peaceful protest, Ban Animal Trading (Bat) activists gathered yet again to protest the use of animals for entertainment.

Dr Smaragda Louw, a member of Bat has resolved the case with the safety official internally, and already took back the banners and posters that were confiscated by the safety official. The matter was also captured on video.

Initial article here: [VIDEO] Safety official ‘harass’ circus protesters

“We are back on Saturday, 21 November, and we will not open a case, but will still seek legal advice,” she said.

“There needs to be clarity for everybody.”

Nkosana Zali, spokesperson for Mogale City Local Municipality, said the public safety office has looked into the matter and found that the officer, shown on the video footage dressed in plain clothes “did not introduce himself because it was in the heat of the moment”.

“We apologise for that because it is routine and he should have, since he did not have his uniform and name-tag on,” he said.

“The department arranged a meeting with Dr Louw and all parties involved (traffic officers) in which the violation of the by-laws was explained to the picketing party, i.e. portraying their message through posters and/ or fastening their placards and banners on the stop signs; refusing a humble request to vacate the area and remove their banners and so forth,” Zali continued.

According to him, these are in direct conflict with the National Road Traffic Act which empowers officers to impound any document, property, vehicle or anything that is in direct conflict with the laws or by-laws and which actions violate the rights of others.

Zali added that according to the department, the officer said nothing wrong in the YouTube video.

“After long deliberations we agreed that we return the banners and the placards subject to the party not portraying them again. The matter was resolved amicably and, as far as we are concerned, it is finalised,” he concluded.

On Saturday the protest went ahead peacefully and no activists were asked to take down their banners.