On a 47-degree Tuesday afternoon with a steady wind blowing from the north, Jabeen Akhtar, painted like a tiger, stepped out of her black robe at the corner of Trade and Tryon streets and crawled into a cage. The first-time exhibitionist was topless, concealed only by pasties and her black and orange body paint.
The publicity stunt was orchestrated by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), in protest of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, which comes to Bobcats Arena on Wednesday, Feb. 22. PETA alleges the circus commits numerous violations against the Animal Welfare Act, backing up the claim with case documentation and hidden video footage.
Among the grievances: inhumane storage of animals, torture with electric rods and bull hooks, neglect leading to suffering and death, intentional killing of animals afflicted with illnesses. PETA believes the use of animals in circuses is outdated and would like to see Cirque du Soleil, an all-human acrobatic troupe, become the universal circus model.
Between noon and 1pm, males on their lunch breaks stopped in front of the Bank of America building to snap photos of the half-nude woman. One of them, when asked how he felt about animal treatment in the circus, responded, "I want her to move that sign so I can see her boobs."
Marta Holmberg, an intern with PETA on the anti-circus nudism tour, defended the tactic: "The way society is today, you have to do things like this for people to pay attention."
Judah Ragin, another lunchtime passerby, had intended to take his kids to the circus, but now says he'll boycott it. "The least they can do is feed their animals and take care of them the right kind of way," he said.
Crystal Drake of Ringling Bros. production company Feld Entertainment, denies all of PETA's allegations: "The animals are the superstars of our show and we treat them that way."
COMMENTS
RE: Tiger Lily
Posted by YLH on 10.11.06 @ 02:55 AM
I am guessing that Ms. Akhtar is an American of Pakistani origin... which makes us Pakistanis proud to have such a caring soul from amongst us... There should be more people standing up for animal rights ... especially out here in Pakistan.
RE: Tiger Lily
Posted by Genessa Mesker on 09.14.06 @ 03:28 PM
I think people are rediculas and feel that there was no reason for that woman to be naked in the streets. Not that I am conservative at all but some poeple are. If these people have so much respect for animals you would think that they could at least hav common desency toward other humans. Parents of young teenage boys are highly unlikely to have appreciated that. There are far more effective ways to have gotten the attention of the people without bordering indescency. As a woman I feel that the person simply used it as an excuse to be naked in public. Save it for a music festival where at least you will have a less conservative audience. I am far from conservative and I am not against nudity at all. In my own house I almost never put pants on unless I will be in and out all day I just feel that there is a time and a place for everything and the middle of the road is not the place for a naked woman. "hey lady! Move the sign so I can see your boobs!" Go to a damn strip club on amature night if you insist on being naked in pulic.