A group of people angered of a recent video of a group of boaters dragging a shark behind a boat held a rally on Monday.
- Group protests lack of charges in shark-dragging video
- Protesters stood outside the Manatee County Courthouse Monday
- FWC investigating video, which made social media rounds in late July
Protesters stood outside the Manatee County Courthouse Monday morning with signs. The group cited animal abuse and that no charges have been filed in the case.
It has been more than a month since a video became public of a group of boaters in the waters off Manatee County dragging a shark behind a boat.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission said the video is being investigated.
"Knowing that no charges have been filed, but it's more disturbing knowing that no charges have been filed time and time again," said protester Lakota Moonfire.
The group said it planned on filing a petition with more than 250,000 signatures asking that charges be filed against the men in the boat.
In the video, a group of men on a boat is seen smiling, laughing and pointing at the shark as it flails in the wake behind a fast-moving boat.
A repost of the video on Facebook alone garnered hundreds of comments — many of them not appropriate to share — but most of them expressing anger over the animal cruelty.
The FWC's law enforcement division said Tuesday afternoon that the agency has gotten a "strong response" from the public on the video.