Six arrested at Belly Wien Circus protest in Tallaght
By Echo Reporter
SIX people have been arrested after an altercation between animal welfare activists and members of the controversial Belly Wien circus in Tallaght this afternoon.
A protest was staged outside the Belly Wien camp behind the Cuckoo’s Nest on the Greenhills Road at around 2.30pm, during which animal rights activists staged their objection to the use of wild animals by the circus.
The family-run circus is on tour with around 60 animals, including camels, lamas, bovines, dogs, many different breeds of horses and three elephants, which have been with the circus for more than 40 years.
The arrival of the circus has reignited calls for the banning of animal circuses in Ireland, and in recent days animal welfare groups and residents have asked the Tallaght community to bycott the circus.
According to reports, a number of people were being brought in to view the conditions in which the animals were being kept when a serious altercation commenced, which resulted in Gardai being called to the scene and a number of people being brought to hospital with injuries.
A senior Garda source confirmed to The Echo that six people were arrested and that they are currently investigating a number of allegations concerning assault, criminal damage and public order offences.
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