A red carpet premiere event for MTV’s new reality show “Siesta Key” was cancelled after animal right’s activists threatened to protest the event due to a cast members’ connection to men in a viral shark dragging video.
The stars of the reality show along with MTV Producers were expected to attend the event at CineBistro Sarasora Monday for the show’s debut. However an email sent to ticket holders Sunday stated the event was cancelled, without explanation as to why.
A protest planned outside of the event garnered over 100 RSVPs, with nearly 700 more planning to attend. The organizer, Jordan Fuchs, decided to cancel the demonstration after learning the premiere was cancelled.
Fuchs told Four In Your Corner the protest was meant to be peaceful. "I know that right now they're talking about the reason the CineBistro event was shut down was because of death threats," said Jordan Fuchs, organizer of Siesta Key protest.
Siesta Key is an area popular to retirees, but it’s being blasted into the spotlight through the lives of the so-called “Siesta Key elite,” one of whom is allegedly friends with a group of men seen dragging a shark to death behind a motor boat.
Alex Kompothecras, a main character of the show, is friends with one of the men in the now viral video.
Fuchs organized the protest because he wanted to shed light on what he believes is an ongoing pattern of animal abuse involving the men in the shark dragging video.
"In the social media that he shared he's pointing a hand gun over a boat at wildlife, they are beer-bonging beer through the gills of a shark. There's a lot of really, really ugly images about wildlife they've been abusing," said Fuchs.
The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating the shark dragging incident, as well new videos and pictures sent to them from members of the community.
FWC has confirmed the identities of the men in the shark dragging video, however they are not releasing their names until the investigation is complete.
No one has been charged with a crime in connection to the shark dragging video. FWC says they are investigating whether a crime has been committed.
