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Hundreds of protesters urge French Riviera marine park to free its dolphins, protect animals

Associated Press
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People demonstrate at the entrance? of the Marineland animal exhibition park in Antibes, southeastern France, to protest against the detention of dolphins, Sunday, July 12, 2015. Many associations demonstrate this Sunday in Antibes to "require the prohibition of captive cetaceans" and "closure of all dolphinariums in Europe".? (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau) (The Associated Press)

A young demonstrator holds boards ?in front of the Marineland animal exhibition park in Antibes, southeastern France, to protest against the detention of dolphins, Sunday, July 12, 2015. Many associations demonstrate this Sunday in Antibes to "require the prohibition of captive cetaceans" and "closure of all dolphinariums in Europe".? (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau) (The Associated Press)

A French policeman stops a demonstrator carrying an inflatable dolphin ?in front of the Marineland animal exhibition park in Antibes, southeastern France, during a demonstration against the detention of dolphins, Sunday, July 12, 2015. Many associations demonstrate this Sunday in Antibes to "require the prohibition of captive cetaceans" and "closure of all dolphinariums in Europe".? (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau) (The Associated Press)

Several hundred people are protesting at a popular marine animal park on the French Riviera, urging it to free the dolphins kept in its pools.

The animal rights activists waved picket signs in English and French at the entrance to the parking lot of the Marineland park in Antibes, trying to persuade visitors to sign petitions or go home.

Visitors at the park, popular with tourists from around Europe throughout the summer season, can swim with dolphins and see penguins, polar bears and the endangered Steller sea lion. Marineland park management says it works to protect the environment and protect threatened species through special reproduction programs.

Among the protesters was Richard O'Barry, a marine activist who trained dolphins for the 1960s TV series "Flipper."