ANAHEIM – Melissa Sehgal walked to the street corner of the bustling Farmers Market in downtown Anaheim, set up a metal crate intended for a medium-sized dog, disrobed down to her underwear and put the cage over her body – nude except for panties and the orange-and-black tiger-stripe body paint.
Over her chest, she held a small sign that read, “Tigers in Circuses: Beaten, Battered and Broken.”
Next to her, four protesters – fully clothed – held signs saying, “Ringling Beats Animals.”
The attention-grabbing protest was sponsored by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to bring attention to what the group says is the cruel treatment of circus animals by Ringling Bros. and Barnum &Bailey’s circus.
Because the protest was announced in advance, Ringling Bros. also had a publicist there, handing out leaflets countering the protesters’ claims.
“This is the only cause I would be willing to do this for,” said Sehgal, 32, an emergency-room nurse from Los Angeles. “But I believe strongly that they shouldn’t be using animals in the circus anymore, and it’s something I’m willing to bare my skin for, to bring attention to it.”
PETA says that the animals are harmed by being kept in small cages and must learn tricks by fear and intimidation.
Such protests have been organized by PETA – in various forms – for years. Ringling Bros. has countered its charges with vigor in recent years.
The publicist for the circus company released a statement that said, in part: “Animals at Ringling Bros. and Barnum &Bailey are healthy and well cared for by a team of full-time veterinarians and an animal-care staff that works to ensure that the animals have an enriching and safe environment. Protesters make false and distorted allegations.”
Andy Perez, a spokesman for Ringling Bros., said circus animals are kept in air-conditioned train cars and fed and bathed on a strict schedule.
“These are activists that represent a small percentage of people and mislead people,” he said.
Thursday’s protest created a bit of a stir as the Farmers Market got under way. Some observers, who had read about the scheduled protest, came by and snapped cell-phone pictures.
Some parents with small children questioned the appropriateness of the venue.
“Kids are brought up on the circus, and they shouldn’t be seeing that kind of message,” said Ruben Ruby, an Anaheim resident who was there with a 5-year-old granddaughter who just stared at the semi-nude woman behind the cage, seemingly unaware of the protest’s purpose.
“Maybe they have a point, but I think they should do it somewhere else,” Ruby said.
The protest was staged in Anaheim because Ringling Bros. comes to the Honda Center for July 15-26 performances.
An Anaheim police spokesman said before the protest that the event could go forward as long as it followed public-decency laws. It lasted about an hour before protesters packed up, Sehgal got dressed again and moved on.
Sehgal said she protested in Fresno earlier this week. She planned to go to Ontario later in the day and San Diego in coming days.
“It’s good that it gets people thinking,” she said.
http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9/6936102001?isVid=1&publisherID=987209017
Contact the writer: 714-704-3769 or ecarpenter@ocregister.com
