Activists battle shooters over pigeons

September 8, 1992

The Journal Star (Peoria, IL)

HEGINS, Pa. -- About 100 animal-rights activists were arrested Monday at an annual pigeon shoot as they heckled participants and ran onto a firing range to free the birds.

About 1,500 protesters in a crowd of more than 12,000 cheered when birds escaped during the Fred Coleman Memorial Shoot, which raises money for area parks and is named for a local marksman.

"This kind of gratuitous violence is sick, just like pulling the wings off of flies is sick," said Steve Hindi of Plano, Ill.

State police Sgt. Richard Morris said there were 112 arrests, including several non- protesters. Some of those arrested during the daylong shoot at Hegins Park bolted past state police and across the firing range to free birds.

The targets were some 7,000 live birds; about 2,000 make it to freedom, organizers said.