After more than 80 years, the St. Louis-based Moolah Shrine Circus is ending its use of elephants. The decision was , but the followed months of sustained protests by the .
Among those activists is Sasha Zemmel, who has been organizing for both human and animal rights since 2016.
On Dec. 21, 2022, Zemmel was and charged with trespassing at one of the circus鈥� meetings as part of the ongoing protests. Moolah Shriners spokesperson Dennis Burkholder told St. Louis on the Air that Zemmel and other protesters had been asked multiple times not to trespass at their building, and that the disruption on Dec. 21 was the third time they had done so.
Moolah Shriners potentate Robby Dirkers insisted that the decision to retire the elephants had nothing to do with the protests 鈥� the change, he said, was made five years ago as part of a conversation during a Moolah Shriners meeting, one that they didn鈥檛 feel the need to share externally. Dirkers declined to comment on assertions from protesters at an earlier demonstration.
Zemmel said that what the Moolah Shriners now claim is a coincidence is actually the product of sustained activism. The outcome is the same: The elephants are out of the circus. Zemmel calls that a win.
The pressure campaign started with 鈥渓etters and emails,鈥� Zemmel said, in hopes of resolving the issue with communication.
Despite the potential arrests protesters face, Zemmel thinks it is important to keep organizing disruptive demonstrations 鈥� because they create a conversation, and 鈥渢hat is how change begins.鈥�
鈥淚 think [it] says a lot to people in power when we are willing to risk our freedom, risk our safety, get beat up and get arrested for an issue. That's when you know something's wrong.鈥�
Related Event
What: We Are the People STL 鈥�
When: Noon Jan. 22
Where: Downtown St. Louis. Meeting point: Aloe Plaza (across from Union Station)
Hear the entire conversation by listening to St. Louis on the Air on , , , , or by clicking the play button below.
鈥�鈥� brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by , , , and . is our production assistant. The audio engineer is . Send questions and comments about this story to talk@stlpr.org.
