Public Takes To Internet To Target Dentist Accused Of Poaching Lion
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A Bloomington dentist accused of killing a beloved lion on a recent African safari has come under international fire.
Dr. Walter Palmer is accused of killing 13-year-old Cecil, a research lion that had been living in the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe.
Palmer said he had hired professional guides to assure his hunt was legal. But reports say that it appears as though Cecil was baited and lured out of the park.
As people around the world continue to chime in on the issue, many are taking to the Internet. From petitions to blog posts to commentary and reviews, people are using a plethora of social media sites to express their anger at Palmer and attack his business River Bluff Dental.
Prior to Tuesday, River Bluff Dental had four reviews on the business rating site Yelp. As of 11 a.m. Wednesday the business had 6,933 reviews -- 12 of which were in five different languages -- and were, unsurprisingly, nearly all rated one star.
Users from California to Florida to Canada to the Netherlands expressed their disgust.
Interestingly, some gave five-star ratings to accompany their nasty reviews.
But most were single-star ratings followed by long narratives expressing anger toward Palmer and his actions.
Of the four earlier reviews, three were positive and praised Palmer and his staff.
Mike M. from Minneapolis gave the business five stars.
Chris B. from Minneapolis also gave the place a rave review saying the team did its best to make going to the dentist a pleasant experience.
On Twitter, a River Bluff Dental account exists but appears to have no tweets prior to Tuesday. While the account may not actually represent the business, it certainly seems to be in support of it.
BE FAIR! @RiverBlufDental is not responsible for the actions of Dr. Palmer. #CecilTheLion. pic.twitter.com/3pGmx5t7mK
— River Bluff Dental (@RiverBlufDental) July 29, 2015
It even takes protesters actions as a sign of support.
We appreciate all the support during our time of struggle. Keep it coming! Thanks for sticking with us! #RBDSmile pic.twitter.com/NPOPdvIJBD
— River Bluff Dental (@RiverBlufDental) July 29, 2015
As for Facebook, the business's page has been taken down.
A Facebook event in support of Wednesday's planned protest lists 1,500 people who have RSVP'd to attend. Several stuffed animal toys have been placed outside of Palmer's dental office and home.