logo
Protest at circus turns ugly as activist is hospitalised after assault

Protest at circus turns ugly as activist is hospitalised after assault

Daily Maverick25-05-2025

A Gqeberha animal activist underwent surgery after allegedly being assaulted by staff of the McLaren Circus during a protest near the circus on Saturday night.
Ralph West, a prominent animal and environmental activist, was reportedly assaulted during a protest at King's Beach, Gqeberha, on Saturday night against the use of animals by McLaren Circus. He underwent surgery on Sunday.
While animal rights activists insisted that their protest was peaceful, McLaren Circus spokesperson Karl Hildebrandt said on Sunday they were 'disturbed' by the events.
West said on Friday that he had informed circus owner David McLaren (whom he described as 'the chief dick' in a Facebook post) that he was not welcome in Nelson Mandela Bay.
Hildebrandt said there was no 'peace' in the protest by Planty, Bru! and Beauty without Cruelty.
Animal lovers in Nelson Mandela Bay have a long history of protesting against the circus's use of animals.
Hildebrandt said that on Saturday, 'Before our scheduled 5pm show, an altercation broke out involving a male protester and a female circus supporter with her child.
'What started as verbal harassment quickly escalated into physical contact — pushing and shoving — amounting to clear gender-based aggression. A male member of the public had to step in to protect the woman and children. SAPS was contacted, but unfortunately, they provided very little assistance at the time.
'The male protester involved [West] had already been approached yesterday by David McLaren and informed he was not allowed on the property. Despite this, he returned today, continued harassing patrons, and blatantly refused to respect the boundary or comply.
'It must be made clear that the land and parking lot we are renting is private property. These protesters have no permission to be there. Yet they act as if they're above the law and free to do as they please, even if it means putting families at risk.'
Hildebrandt said that Chad Cupido, the chairperson of Beauty Without Cruelty (Cape Town), 'With loudhailer in hand … was shouting provocative chants and disturbing attendees of our 5pm show. As a representative of an organisation claiming to promote compassion, Mr Cupido made no effort to maintain peace — instead, he actively contributed to the agitation and disruption.
'It's truly ironic that while these individuals claim to care about animal rights, they show little to no regard for human rights — especially those of women, children and peaceful members of the public. McLaren Circus offers family-friendly entertainment, but having adults shouting aggressively and scaring children outside our venue raises serious questions about what they truly stand for.'
Peaceful and legal
Toni Brockhoven, the national chairperson of Beauty without Cruelty, said the organisation had staged peaceful and legal protests at the McClaren Circus to object to the use of animals in its acts.
'We are always peaceful and legal. We don't disrupt traffic. We do not litter,' she said.
She said the circus was looking for 'anything they can twist and manipulate. They are threatened by the … growing number of people who are protesting the use of animals.'
However, Hildebrandt countered that the real story was that the McLaren Circus 'is celebrating 20 years of bringing joy, laughter and live entertainment to families right across South Africa.
'We understand that people are allowed to protest peacefully, and that's their right. But when they start trespassing and intimidating our staff and customers, that's no longer a peaceful protest — that's harassment. They're simply breaking the law, they're also infringing on our audience's basic rights, like their dignity, their freedom to choose what they support and their right to enjoy a day out without being harassed.
'The overwhelming support we get from the communities we visit shows that the public still values what we do. People come to McLaren Circus for the full experience — from the talented performers to the beautiful animals and the incredible bond our trainers have with them.
'We follow all the legal requirements, including the Performing Animals Protection Act of 2016, which is managed by the Department of Agriculture. And of course, welfare organisations like the NSPCA are there to keep all of us accountable.'
Cupido said Beauty Without Cruelty had been protesting at McLaren Circus for more than 16 years.
'We are one of the most consistent and vocal opponents of the use of animals in circuses. Naturally, this positions us as a significant threat to their business model, and it's no surprise that Mr McLaren is now attempting to shift the narrative by attacking our organisation and my personal conduct.
'I did attend both protests — the first at 1pm and the second at 4pm. For clarity: I used a loudhailer during the first protest only, for roughly half of it. It is well within my constitutional right to do so. However, I chose not to use it during the second protest. This was a conscious decision we made after requesting that the circus turn down their intensely loud music, which we believed was distressing for the animals. Mr McLaren agreed to this request at the time, so it is disingenuous for him to now raise the use of a loudhailer as a factor in the incident, especially when it was not used at all during that time.
'To further clarify: at no point did I incite violence. Our protest was loud, yes, but peaceful and within the bounds of the law. The only aggression came from circus patrons and staff, not from us.
'I'd also like to clarify that this particular protest was not organised by Beauty Without Cruelty. We did not plan or promote it on any of our platforms. Our role was to support the broader collaborative effort organised and/or supported by the following organisations: Planty, Bru!, Humane World for Animals and the Human Animal Project.
He said the situation escalated when West, who was chanting peacefully near the entrance, was shouted at.
'A woman from the queue ran towards him, grabbed him, and shoved him. She later apologised to me and the team and gave a statement to the police.
Slammed to the ground
'A male individual then lifted Ralph and violently slammed him to the ground, causing a broken hip. He stood over Ralph while Mr McLaren and a circus clown falsely claimed Ralph had assaulted the woman,' said Cupido.
'We later returned with police, who recorded statements from witnesses and identified both assailants.'
He said they then went to a police station to summon assistance and returned with members of the police.
'In what felt like a providential moment, the woman came directly to us — we did not go looking for her. She approached Candice (from Humane World for Animals), myself, and several other protesters and broke down completely. She apologised, was visibly shaken, cried, and entered a state of emotional distress. She made it absolutely clear that she was not assaulted or provoked by Ralph.'
Madeline Mack from Planty, Bru!, who organised the protest, said West was hospitalised with a serious injury.
'He was at the first protest on Friday evening. He was told not to stand on the grass or block the entrance, and he complied, both then and again on Saturday. On Saturday, he was standing in the parking lot, which is public space, not private property. It is anyone's democratic right to participate in a peaceful protest and to share opposing views. This does not constitute harassment as Mr McLaren alleges.
'It is well known that Mr McLaren contacts the SAPS every time there is a peaceful protest, not only in Gqeberha but across the country. This has been well reported on and documented. Protesters in Gqeberha have even been accused of stealing his alligator one year, when the circus negligently lost it and later found it again; I believe it was found in a stormwater drain.
'We have video footage from Saturday that clearly shows that the female circus supporter initiated the physical altercation by attacking Ralph. Following that, another man began pushing him until he fell and broke his hip. At the same time, a third man tried to attack another protester and tore his shirt.
'No circus patrons or members of the public were assaulted; it was three of our protesters who were hurt. Ralph is the one most likely to lay charges, but as mentioned, he's still recovering in hospital.
'No charges were opened from McLaren's side, likely because the people who were assaulted were from our group. We called the police and gave full statements. We're now waiting for Ralph to be well enough to proceed, and the video evidence will clearly support what happened. No difference in opinion can justify such a physical assault on anyone exercising their right to peacefully demonstrate.
Hildebrandt denied that circus employees had assaulted West.
West's wife Sharon confirmed on Sunday night that he was still in the recovery ward after surgery and had been unable to open a case of assault. DM

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

SA's shift to smart ID cards gains urgency amid high fraud risk
SA's shift to smart ID cards gains urgency amid high fraud risk

The Citizen

timean hour ago

  • The Citizen

SA's shift to smart ID cards gains urgency amid high fraud risk

As South Africa adopts digital IDs to combat identity fraud, enhance security and reduce fraudulent activities, research has revealed that efforts to replace outdated green ID books with secure smart ID cards are gaining momentum. Zululand Observer reports that, according to the Smile ID 2025 Fraud in Africa Report, the green ID books — historically vulnerable due to weak security features — recorded Africa's highest fraud rate in 2023, at 34%. The report further states that in March 2024, fraud rates for green ID books were 500% higher than for smart ID cards, validating the shift to the more secure system. Moreover, fraud targets Africa's most common identity documents: driver's licences followed at 24%, driven by their frequent use across formal and informal contexts, increasing their exposure to misuse. However, passports — often perceived as more secure owing to stricter issuance protocols — showed a fraud rate of 20%. The 'others' category, including work permits and alien cards, accounted for 19%, while voter IDs had the lowest fraud rate, at 14%. These findings highlight the diverse vulnerabilities across ID types, with national IDs remaining the most at risk due to their ubiquity. While passports and other specialised documents like work permits have lower fraud rates, their misuse often involves high-stakes activities such as international travel or employment fraud, with significant financial and reputational risks. Monthly Fraud Trends by Region (Biometric and Document Fraud): Biometric and document fraud peaked in January for east and southern Africa, while December saw west and central Africa reach their highest fraud rates. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!

‘Purges in police drive up crime' says expert
‘Purges in police drive up crime' says expert

The Citizen

time4 hours ago

  • The Citizen

‘Purges in police drive up crime' says expert

Criminal law expert Cornelia van Graan said, despite SA's progressive and inclusive Domestic Violence Act, the femicide crisis persisted. Criminal law expert Cornelia van Graan said despite South Africa's progressive and inclusive Domestic Violence Act, the femicide crisis persisted. Picture:The removal of specialised units was the reason for the increase in violent crimes, including the murder of Olorato Mongale last week, according to experts. Mongale had gone on a date with her alleged killer, who picked her up from her residential complex on 25 May and drove her to Alexandra, where she was allegedly murdered. ALSO READ: Public urged to beware of strangers from dating apps Please, stop killing women Her body was dumped between Alexandra and Lombardy West. Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu said his department had noted an increase in incidents where women fell victim to relationships developed online. 'We caution young women in particular and women in general to be alert and to be in control when such communication and appointments are made,' he said. Mchunu pleaded with men: 'Please, stop killing women. This horrific act has deeply shocked and angered the nation. We unequivocally condemn the gruesome and inhumane killing of Olorato Mongale. 'No-one deserves to suffer such cruelty and our thoughts remain with her family, friends and community during this profoundly painful time.' Criminal law expert Cornelia van Graan said despite South Africa's progressive and inclusive Domestic Violence Act, the femicide crisis persisted. 'The police and the justice system have been gutted over the years and the police have been accused of being incompetent, with many members facing criminal accusations,' she said. ALSO READ: Man arrested for using fake Facebook profile to lure, kidnap, and rape women Police' additional funding But Van Graan noted the police received additional funding in the budget speech. 'The question is will the government implement strategies that can effectively curb violent crime and make crimes against women and children a priority, or is the new budget just showboating for the international community that has their eyes on the country due to the G20 summit:' she asked. Criminal defence expert advocate Johan Gaum said: 'It's ineptitude from the police because Jackie Selebi the then police commissioner neutralised all specialised detective services from murder to robbery.' NOW READ: ActionSA-ANC slams Zille's plans for Joburg: 'They do not believe in black excellence'

Man sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering partner
Man sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering partner

The South African

time14 hours ago

  • The South African

Man sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering partner

A man was sentenced to life imprisonment after murdering his partner in early May 2025. The Free State High Court handed down the sentence to Abel Serame Mathige (39), who was found guilty of murdering his partner, 51-year-old Anna Motaung, after assaulting her. She later succumbed to her injuries at Boitumelo Regional Hospital. Police responded to a report about a patient who passed away following an alleged assault by their partner. Upon arrival, the police were escorted to the body of the deceased, identified as Motaung, who had been declared dead by the hospital. A 57-year-old man allegedly murdered her partner at an automotive dealership in Mthatha on Saturday, 31 May 2025. According to a police statement, the deceased went to the dealership, where her partner is an employee at. The two lovebirds got into a heated argument where the suspect allegedly assaulted the victim and took her to a hospital. Initially, the suspect said that thugs assaulted her lover near the dealership. The police statement mentioned, 'The suspect visited the victim in the hospital, bringing her refreshments. The victim subsequently became sick and ultimately died at approximately 13:55 that same day.' The postmortem results are said to reveal the cause of the victim's death. The police arrested the suspect on Friday, 6 June 2025. A manhunt has been launched after the dead bodies of a couple were discovered at a residence in Sekonye village, Limpopo. A worried family member went to the residence where her relative was after she could not reach him on his phone. Upon arriving, she discovered the lifeless body of her relative and his 34-year-old partner. Initial investigations reveal that both the victims had sustained gunshot wounds. Additionally, a firearm, believed to have been used in carrying out the murder, was found at the scene. 'The motive behind the tragedy remains unclear; however, domestic violence cannot be ruled out as a possible factor,' read the statement. A case of murder and an inquest has been opened while investigations continue. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store