By Antonio D. French
Filed Wednesday, November 16 at 12:13 PM
November 16, 2005 -- At noon today on the corner of Olive and 7th streets downtown, Amy Jeannette stripped down to her panties and sat on the cold concrete to protest the treatment of circus animals.
The protest was organized by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and coincides with the opening of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus tonight at Savvis Center.
Matt Rice, campaign coordinator for PETA, and Colleen Ilford, president of the St. Louis Animal Rights Team, held a sign behind Jeannette as she sat for more than half an hour in the freezing 30-degree wind. The sign read, "shackled, lonely, beaten," referring to the conditions of Ringling Bros.' animals.
Fearing the negative publicity, Megan Little, a Savvis Center spokesperson, showed up and passed out packets to members of the press defending Ringling Bros. practices and touting the company's animal preservation program.
But it's hard to argue with videos like those seen on PETA's website which were filmed using hidden cameras at the circus' animal training centers.
To symbolize the treatment that PETA says circus animals are often forced to suffer, Jeannette sat on the cold concrete wearing only underwear, pasties to cover her nipples, and chains on her wrists and ankles. She also had fake bruises and scratches across her back.
Rice said that PETA members would be in front of Savvis Center tonight, passing out literature and DVD's to the circus-goers.
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