Circus Protest on Sports Arena Boulevard

Protesters were back in the Midway District again, but they weren’t there to stand up for gay rights or the personal views of Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy. This time protesters were upset about the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus being in town with shows scheduled from August 23–26 at the Valley View Casino Center.

On Friday morning, August 24, a handful of PETA demonstrators stood at the busy corner driveway, adjacent to the Chili's restaurant, waving signs and handing out pamphlets to passersby.

"We're encouraging San Diegans and people who love animals to boycott the circus," Matt Bruce, a PETA campaigner from Los Angeles told Channel 8 News. "Baby elephants at Ringling Brothers are bound with ropes, beaten with bull hooks, and shocked with electric prods."

Many of the people entering the Valley View Casino Center parking lot appeared to be polite to the protesters but seemed intent on getting into the show on time.