Glendale Residents Protest Rose Parade Float Design

Two residents are angry about the 2012 Glendale Rose Parade float - a circus elephant pulling a wagon - which they believe promotes animal cruelty.

In a Glendale City Council meeting Tuesday, local animal rights' activists spoke out against the design.

Watch video footage of the meeting here.

“The circus is an archaic event that still relies on abusing animals to turn a profit," said Glendale resident Alicia Wopner.

"While other cities across the country have enacted legislation to ban circuses, it is disheartening that Glendale has chosen this barbaric event to represent our city in front of billions of people," Wopner said. "Contrary to the float design, an elephant’s life in the circus is nothing to celebrate.“

Wopner explained how the circus elephants “are beaten with sharp, metal-tipped bull hooks, shocked with electric prods and chained for the majority of their lives.”

Fellow Glendale resident Cindy Fontaboa agreed, adding that “something like this should not move forward; I think it confuses people [into thinking circus animals are something to celebrate.]”

Garry Ackerman, president of the Glendale Rose Float Association, defends the association’s design.

“I think [the protesting] is kind of silly,” Ackerman said. “It’s an elephant all decorated up. I think of him an Indian elephant.”

Wopner wants people to not perceive the animal as a circus elephant.

“If we must use this float, I would urge you to use an elephant-freedom theme instead," Wopner said.  

Glendale police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said that the float is already built to be used in the 2012 Rose Parade.The council will consider different ways to present the float during the council meeting next week.

Lorenz also noted that Glendale will continue to work with the Glendale Rose Float Association, but that the Glendale Parks and Recreation Department will coordinate with the Association in the future.

will address these issues tonight on NBC4.