'Alt-furry': Russia circus faces backlash for dressing animals in Nazi clothing

A Russian circus sparked outrage on January 15 for dressing up animals in clothing that depicted the controversial Nazi symbols. In a footage posted by the circus on YouTube, monkeys and goats were seen wearing swastikas and were paraded for what the circus called ‘educational purposes’ by a woman dressed in a Soviet-era uniform. The show prompted the Russian police officials to open a probe into the matter and was condemned by the Russian Orthodox Church. The bizarre event was held in the city of Izhevsk in the Udmurtia region, according to news agency DPA, and was organized to celebrate the Soviet’s victory over Nazi Germany in WWII. 

In the nearly 4 minute-controversial clip posted by the circus, the local priest Roman Voskresenskikh can be heard hailing the show in the Russian language. His remarks translated to describe the event as: “A historical excursion into past Orthodox Christmases across several years.” The audience, which constituted of children, watched the absurd circus performance where Soviet-era-dressed trainers tamed the Nazi symbol inscribed clothing. 

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Nazi symbols banned since 2014

“The first Bishop’s celebration took place at the State Circus of Udmurtia,” the circus wrote in the description of the event underneath the YouTube footage. It added, “the creative implementation of this very expensive project belongs to the inexhaustible mind of the director of the Izhevsk circus, Dmitry Evgenievich Ivanov who was disgraced a year ago from the chair of the general director of the state company ‘Rosgoscirk’ for failing to manage the company due to numerous financial violations.” 

The show evolved around the portrayal of the Nazi German army’s defeat by Soviet troops near Moscow in 1942. However, the audience slammed the organizers for the bizarre display of fascism. In a statement, the circus clarified, “A special feature of circus art is entertainment, and there is nothing surprising in the fact that the images used in it have an ironic and sometimes even grotesque character.” Russia, however, banned the use of Nazi symbols in any form of art and entertainment in 2014, and Russian security forces have now opened an investigation. 

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