This has bitter consequences! Last August, Prince Marcus von Anhalt (57) shared a video that made all animal lovers scream: He shot a soccer ball at a turtle from a short distance and proudly announced that he had invented a new game. The internet didn’t find it particularly funny. The animal protection organization PETA even filed a lawsuit for animal cruelty. And that’s going to be really expensive for Marcus!
As RTL has now learned, the criminal proceedings should now really get underway. There is now a criminal warrant against Marcus. This is tantamount to a judgment and the adoptiveprince has to pay – the hefty sum of around 400,000 euros. When asked by the broadcaster, he was unimpressed: “Of course I’m not paying!” For PETA on the other hand, a fine would be tantamount to a great victory. “This sentence is a milestone for animal welfare and is entirely appropriate because the turtle suffered significant suffering,” a representative said in an official statement.
After the action sparked a real shitstorm online, Marcus spoke up himself. But no trace of remorse. He explained to his Instagram followers that he deliberately targeted the reptile’s so-called horny plates. “The horny plates are numb. This means that the turtle doesn’t feel anything directly on the shell,” said the 57-year-old. The shot didn’t harm the animal.
