Prayer, piping at ivory poacher hearing

War Piper 4 Mighty Men, James Mc Gowan, aka Piperjames, in full cry outside a court where a Chinese national charged with illegal possession of ivory applied for bail yesterday. Piperjames was part of a group of about 20 people who chanted “Jail, no bail!” to demonstrate their opposition to the wanton slaughter of rhinos and elephants in South Africa. Some court security officials joined the protesters, as Piperjames, spattered with artificial blood, piped through a Springbok stuffed toy which he said symbolised South Africa’s beautiful wildlife mourning the murder of their kind. The War Piper also prayed that the right decision would be made. The prayer was effective, he said, as the accused, Xing Xieny, 51,  was remanded in custody until February 28. His co-accused,  Xiong Changsen, 41, was released on bail of R70 000 at an earlier hearing when the two appeared at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court.

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3 Comments

  1. Greta Kruger Geerts

    There was an amazing team spirit … as if we knew all the guys and girls who were there all our lives!
    Ferdi made his kombi available and we drove in convoy to the court in Khayelitsha.
    Thank you Ferdi, we need more celebrities like you to show their commitment. You’re a real sport!
    There was a lot of noise, signing, shouting, and especially our soon to become South African Scott drew a lot of attention with his Springbok bag pipes! Some of the locals joined in, and I believe we raised consciousness for rhino in Khayelitsha as well.
    Our Scotsman also lead us in prayer at some stage to ask for wisdom for the magistrate!!!!!
    It was a chilling experience! We need to do this over and over again ….

  2. I commend you for giving it your all James McGowan! If it was possible for me to attend I would have been there, but in the meantime I can only pray that rhino poaching in our country can stop!

  3. I agree wholeheartedly with the above comment. Well done to James McGowan for standing up and showing his commitment to the cause and for his powerful prayers.