Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus paraded into town this week and along with them came a cloud of controversy.

Under the Bryce Jordan Center marquee, about a dozen circus protesters stood in a straight line along the sidewalk, calling attention to issues of animal cruelty. With wind and sunset splashing against their faces, members of the Humanity for Animals held signs and handed out fliers to circus-goers.

"Our aim is to educate and make people aware of animal cruelty in entertainment," said Terri Nelson-Bunge, founder of Humanity for Animals. "We hope they read it before the show but we don't expect to stop the circus."

Their handmade posters and signs raised issues of animal safety and rights, as well as vegetarian concerns. They chanted adages printed on their signs such as, "Enjoy the clowns, they chose to be here" and "Did your food have a face?" while families and students entered the BJC.

The protesters questioned many tactics used by Ringling Bros. in their animals' acts. Nelson-Bunge has not been to a circus since childhood -- information her group was citing and distributing was obtained by "undercover sources" who have worked secretly for various entertainment enterprises.

"I don't think there's any way they can make these animals do what they do without being cruel to them," she said.

Nelson-Bunge also asserted that Ringling Bros. has committed many animal rights violations, but pays off numerous fines to continue their campaign to put on "the greatest show on Earth." Moreover, she said that cramped travel conditions for many of the animals, elephants in particular, are also unfair and unkind.

Their protesting resulted in deficient interest of people strolling by, namely those walking hand-in-hand with their wide-eyed children.

"When we went to see the circus in Boston, we really didn't have an understanding of animal mistreatment," said Mindy Kornhaber outside the BJC's entrance. This circus, she said, was the first time she had seen animal rights protesters picketing outside the show.

Humanity for Animals had better success attracting the interest of Penn State students. After grabbing a pair of flyers on elephant mistreatment, Sarah Obert (junior-kinesiology) continued to make her way toward her first ever visit to a circus.

"I've never seen a circus before so I'm not sure if they're cruel to the animals," Obert said.