Animal-rights activist testifies circus security guard attacked her

WILKES-BARRE - First the clowns at the Irem Temple Shrine Circus shouted at animal-rights activist Lisa Walker as she protested their event. Later, a "big, giant" high school student working security ran at Walker, knocked her to the ground and dragged her through a field of muddy grass, Walker testified.

"He put me in a choke hold," Walker, 43, said Tuesday. "My feet were off the ground. I couldn't see. I couldn't breathe. All I could hear is my son screaming."

Walker testified during the first day of trial in her lawsuit against Irem Temple and the security guard, Michael Lupinski, in Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas.

Walker, of Clarks Summit, filed suit against Irem Temple and Lupinski after the incident on April 9, 1999, at the 109th Field Artillery Armory in Wilkes-Barre.

On Tuesday, her attorney, Myles McAliney, told jurors Irem Temple failed to properly train Lupinski and other security personnel on how to deal with protesters, leading to the attack. The attack, McAliney said, resulted in Walker suffering severe and permanent pain and injuries, including a herniated disc in her neck.

Christopher Reeser, an attorney for the defendants, said Walker's version of what happened is wrong.

He said the annual event is sufficiently staffed by off-duty police officers. And, during the incident in question, Walker left a public sidewalk, where the protesters were supposed to stand, and crossed the armory's lawn before entering the event and causing a commotion near the ticket booth.

A concerned clown approached Lupinski, who politely asked Walker to leave the building before grabbing her arm and escorting her outside, he said.

In the process, Walker slipped in the mud. Lupinski helped her up. And she fell again, Reeser said.

City officials told Walker she could protest at any public place as long as she did not obstruct an entrance.

She also spoke with circus officials, asking them to prohibit one of the elephant trainers, who had warrants issued for him on animal abuse charges in New Jersey, from attending the show.

A circus official told her if she obtained a copy of the warrant to notify him. During the April 9, show, most of the demonstrators had left the rainy protest. Walker, with a copy of the trainer's warrant, and her then-7-year-old son entered the armory and asked for a circus official. An off-duty officer told her to wait until the official was summoned.

As she waited, a clown began shouting at her before Lupinski, a volunteer from a vocation school, charged her, she said.

These ARs are basically wimps.

Years ago, a group of them came to our county fair. They targeted the teenagers, telling them how awful it was to confine and then slaughter animals.

One of the leaders of the kids group is the daughter of a rancher. She told the ARs that "beef is our business" and asked them to leave. They didn't. This spunky kid, who was about 14 and skinny at the time, rounded up a group of her friends and they just silently shadowed the ARs for a hour or so. Wherever the activists went, a group of farm kids followed. Eventually, the wackos left and they never returned.

I have known this young lady since before she was born. Today, she taking various courses in animal management while
working as the apprentice manager for the beef and horse operation. She is frail looking and gorgeous. She has been raised to do everything from fencing to working the roundup (which is done the old-fashioned way and on horseback). She can fix a truck, evaluate a horse or a steer and kick the butt of most people, while maintaining a charm and grace drilled into her by her mother.

Not all our kids have been brainwashed and the ARs have not created a willing cadre of kids everywhere.

Lisa Walker, 43 should have known better. It is a shame she doesn't channel as much energy into helping Children and other HUMANS who need assistance. Those protesters think nothing of hiring mothers (with their infants in strollers)to play to the cameras. I have seen them out with their children in over 100 degree temps for hours, just for camera time.
I am sure they feel they are doing good but their priorities are a little off. Target an Organization trying to raise funds rather than a "for profit" Circus and intentionaly try to start a disturbance, what a great tactic.

From the BBB:
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
501 Front Street
Norfolk, VA 23510
July 2003
757-622-7382
www.peta.org Expiration Date: July 2005
Year, State Incorporated: 1980, Deleware, Reincorporated in Virginia (1998)Affiliates: PETA Deutschland e.V. (PETA-Germany); PETA Europe; PETA India; and Foundation to Support Animal Protection.

Stated Purpose: "to (1) educate policy-makers and the public about issues involving the abuse of animals and to promote an understanding of the inherent rights of sentient animals to be treated with respect, and (2) help the public understand that consumer choices can improve the living and dying conditions of animals."

Evaluation Conclusions
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) does not meet the following 2 Standards for Charity Accountability.

2: A board of directors with a minimum of five voting members.
PETA's board of directors consists of only three members.

19: Clearly disclose how the charity benefits from the sale of products or services (i.e., cause-related marketing) that state or imply that a charity will benefit from a consumer sale or transaction. Such promotions should disclose, at the point of solicitation: (a) the actual or anticipated portion of the purchase price that will benefit the charity (e.g., 5 cents will be contributed to abc charity for every xyz company product sold), (b) the duration of the campaign (e.g., the month of October), (c) any maximum or guaranteed minimum contribution amount (e.g., up to a maximum of $200,000).

PETA does not meet provision (a) of this standard because PETA's "Animal Times" magazine contains announcements for the sale of items such as checks and items sold through PETAMall.com indicate that purchases will support PETA but do not specify the actual or anticipated portion of the purchase price that will go to the organization.

Provisions (b) and (c) of this standard do not become effective until March 3, 2004.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals meets the remaining 14 Standards for Charity Accountability Please note that as of the date of this report four out of the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability are not currently effective. As a result, these four Standards have not been applied in this evaluation. For additional information, please see the Implementation Guide to the Standards available on the www.give.org website.

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