Rodeo meeting: Controversy continues

January 3, 2002

KSL (Salt Lake City)

SLOC President Mitt Romney and Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson met with animal rights activists late Thursday afternoon.

A billboard visualizes the activists' latest protest. They want the rodeo, part of the Cultural Olympiad, cancelled or SLOC to sever its ties to it.

The billboard encourages you to go to a website-- bucktherodeo.com. There you can find pictures of different events and information, which animal rights groups say should cause SLOC to rethink its decision.

Steve Hindi, of the group Showing Animals Respect & Kindness, suggests the SLOC sever ties with the rodeo, calling it controversial, not cohesive, and cruel.

But Romney says SLOC will not cancel the rodeo or pull its support. He says the rodeo will be made as safe as possible, and says they will honor some input they've received.

The animal rights groups still hope for more, but say if nothing changes they will stage protests at all the venues.

A van, sponsored by PETA or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, will now follow the Olympic Torch. Members claim some Olympic athletes will join their cause.