Against baboon killing

Animal rights activists block Nuremberg zoo

The group Animal Rebellion claimed responsibility for the action in front of Nuremberg Zoo.(Bild: facebook.com/animalrebellionDE)

The Nuremberg Zoo wants to kill some of its Guinea baboons because they have reportedly become too large for the enclosure. The zoo has thus incurred the wrath of animal welfare organizations. On Saturday, activists blocked the entrance to the zoo.

According to a police spokeswoman, 24 activists had sat down in front of the zoo's main entrance and five had also chained themselves to a gate with massive iron chains. The activists attached a banner to the entrance with the slogan "Only freedom is species-appropriate". 

The group Animal Rebellion claimed responsibility for the action in a statement. Because the needs of the animals were not being heard in the debate, activists from the organization had given the creatures a voice on their behalf, the group said.

Police broke up the meeting
As, according to the police, the demonstrators did not comply with the request to clear the square, police broke up the assembly and carried the activists away. The police broke up the iron chains with the help of the fire department. Some of the activists continued to demonstrate in a space assigned to them near the entrance.

The group Animal Rebellion claimed responsibility for the action in front of the Nuremberg Zoo.(Bild: facebook.com/animalrebellionDE)

Since the announcement of the killing plan at the beginning of February, several institutions have come forward and offered to adopt the selected animals. Nuremberg Zoo is reportedly considering the offers.