Ugly clash at protest outside Coffs Harbour dolphin park
A violent clash between animal rights activists and a man at a dolphin park on the NSW Mid North Coast has been caught on camera.
An ugly clash between PETA activists and a man at a dolphin park on the NSW Mid North Coast threatened to derail a fundraising day for an embattled tourist attraction.
Dolphins Marine Conservation park in Coffs Harbour entered voluntary administration in July and was hosting a fundraiser on Sunday to try to keep its doors open.
But an ugly brawl, witnessed by unsuspecting young families who were visiting the park, shocked onlookers.
The PETA activists had been chanting “Shut it down” and “Dolphins forced to perform” when a man in a red shirt approached the group.
He appears to swear at them before asking: “Why do you have to harass people trying to do their work?”.
The man then appears to attack some of the activists and knock their signs over before a scuffle breaks out.
NSW Police told news.com.au they were investigating the incident outside the marine centre.
“Police were told that about 3.30pm on Sunday an unknown man approached a group of people outside the marine centre before allegedly assaulting them and damaging personal property,” the spokesperson said.
“The man then allegedly fled the scene, after which the group reported the incident to local police.”
The park’s general manager Terry Goodall told news.com.au that he was “very disappointed” by what had happened and the situation had put a “dampener” on the day.
The 52-year-old tourist attraction is one of the most iconic tourist attractions on the NSW Mid North Coast.
It has been hard hit by a range of natural disasters, as well as the pandemic and the current economic climate, which has left it battling to stay afloat.
“The whole reason we are in this situation is because we had bushfires, then we had Covid,
then we had bushfires and floods, and now all the interest rate hikes have made people very aware of what they are spending and very selective,” Mr Goodall said.
One of the protesters Sophie, defiantly took to Tik Tok to tell her followers there was “nothing anyone can do to stop us fighting for these animals”.
“What they are going through is far worse than what we are going through and we are never, ever going to stop,” she said.
Sophie went on to accuse the man of smashing her phone, grabbing her and attacking her.
Another activist Bailey Mason told Yahoo the incident has left him “absolutely scared”.
Dolphins Marine Conservation Park is one of the last venues to house captive dolphins.
Dolphins, endangered fur seals, penguins and sea turtles, many of which were injured at sea, are housed at the park.
It is a regular site of protest action calling for the animals to be released from their tanks and into sea pens.
‘Ridiculous’ reason bird stuck in Coles for weeks
The plan to remove a wild cockatoo trapped in a Coles supermarket has sparked anger for its ‘lack of common sense’ approach.
‘Only way’: Trick to stop magpies swooping
An Aussie comedian has revealed his unconventional method for surviving the most “terrifying” time of the year unscathed.
Major breakthrough for extinct Aussie icon
Scientists say they have made a breakthrough in their quest to recreate the Tasmanian tiger, nearly a century after it became extinct.