African trophy hunting trade show draws protesters to Saskatoon hotel

Chants of “trophy hunters get out of town, trophy hunters you’re going down,” were sung by Calgary-based protestor Michael Donovan on a bull horn Saturday in Saskatoon.

He joined a small group of seven people outside the Hilton Garden Inn where the African Trophy Hunting Trade Show was being held.

The use of a bullhorn during the protest may have led to a collision at 22nd Street east and 1st Avenue south according to Donovan.

“Police asked us to stop the use of the bullhorn, but we came to a comprise,” he said. “We told them we would use the bullhorn mainly when traffic is stopped.”

Tweet of smashed car.

Accident at 22nd and 1st by Garden Inn little Chevy car hood getting towed right now #yxe pic.twitter.com/JmpX8RWqpj

— JT Marshall (@jtmarshallCKOM) January 21, 2017

“Hunters are just natural predators,” said African Events Canada Organizer Birgit Johnstone. “All the meat, skin, and bones get utilized by local African people.”

Johnstone said she’s been organizing shows across North America since 2009, but protests only started in 2016 because of the Cecil the Lion incident.

“It’s their right to protest as long as they don’t have any defamatory remarks,” she said. “We believe in what we do and provide a service to hunters.”

Back outside Donovan said to hunt lions, cheetahs, and any other African animals is wrong.

“To cut their heads off to adorn a wall is wrong,” he said. “It doesn’t belong in our civilized society at all.”

Embed video of bull horn

Michael Donovan is a Cgy protestor against trophy hunting, says @SaskatoonPolice asked him to limit during traffic as caused accident #yxe pic.twitter.com/X7IGduMO8d

— JT Marshall (@jtmarshallCKOM) January 21, 2017