Their Turn - The Social Justice Movement of Our Time Their Turn - The Social Justice Movement of Our Time

Animal Rights Activists and Billionaire John Catsimatidis Clash Over His Plan to Import Pandas

December 27, 2017 by Leave a Comment


The News

John Catsimatidis, one of the two billionaires helping U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney raise $50 million to rent a pair of pandas from China and put them on display in NYC, defended his plan during a dramatic confrontation with animal rights activists:

During the confrontation, Mr. Catsimatidis defended the importation of pandas on the grounds that New Yorkers want them: “We’ve taken polls. Ninety percent of New Yorkers say, ‘We love pandas, and we want them in New York.'”

The day after the clash, Mr. Catsimatidis invited protest organizer Donny Moss onto his radio show to debate the issue:

“I think that Mr. Catsimatidis genuinely cares about animals,” said protest organizer Donny Moss. “If he took the time to learn why holding wild animals captive for our entertainment is outdated and inhumane, then he might change his mind about renting pandas from China, and he might understand why the animal advocacy community in NYC must continue protesting his plan.”

Animal rights activists in NYC are protesting a plan to rent pandas from China and put them on display in NYC.

In February 2017,  Mr. Catsimatidis, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney and billionaire Maurice (Hank) Greenberg held a fundraiser called the “Black & White Panda Ball” at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel to raise money for the project, which is estimated to cost $50 million.  The gala raised approximately $500,000. Their charity, The Pandas are Coming to NYC, continues to raise money.

Your Turn

Please sign the Care2 petition asking U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney to call off her plan to import pandas into NYC for display.

Follow No Panda Prison NYC on Facebook.



Comments via Facebook

TheirTurn.net Comments

  1. Suzannah Troy says:

    I’m glad women’s right to vote, civil rights movement, any protest that truly have brought change any political actions were not weighed and judged on “civilized” actions — What a strange word — it’s like some macho put down that however brutal people — you must be civilize? When people are fighting for rights against all kinds of oppression I guess that’s what people at the New Yorker do they weigh and Judge they value manners and wealthy lobbyists who can buy politicians and demand “civilized” protests?

    If our founding fathers and mothers were so civilized this country would be called part of British Commonwealth.
    I’m sure racist white people called American Indians the first people of civilized what a manipulative creepy word for creepy agenda?

Comments are closed.