Carollo critics cry foul over arrest of protester in chicken suit at pet sculpture park event

What do you get when a small flock of protesters dressed in chicken suits crash the coming out party for Commissioner Joe Carollo’s controversial $1 million pet project of dog and cat sculptures in Miami’s Museum Park?

You get cries of foul from Carollo critics who called Saturday’s arrest of one chicken man heavy-handed, saying he and three others were simply exercising their right to free speech. Police, however, insist Morgan Gianola would not cease and desist disruptive clucking or stop handing out tank tops with a mug shot of the commissioner from when he was jailed during a domestic violence incident involving his wife more than two decades ago.

“It’s a bad arrest,” said attorney David Winker, one of three high-profile lawyers representing Gianola, 31, who is facing three felony counts for resisting an officer without violence, trespassing after warning and disorderly conduct.

You also get another colorful episode in City of Miami political theater, which often features Carollo at center stage.

Carollo dismissed the protest as a stunt, one he blamed on outspoken critic and frequent foil, Miami filmmaker Billy Corben. Corben has had a long-running feud with Carollo over what Corben argues has been blatant misuse of city resources to attack his political opponents. Carollo, in turn, has accused Corben of attacking Miami’s Cuban-American leadership.

Carollo told the Miami Herald he had nothing to do with the arrest and insists he never even saw the four men in the life-sized bright yellow chicken suits because he was handing out certificates of appreciation to the 50 artists who created the sculptures during the official public unveiling of the Dogs & Cats Walkway. But after reviewing videos, he said it was clear they were infringing on others who were there to celebrate the art exhibit.

“They were trying to get my attention and play games with me. I was told Billy Corben was leading the pack,” Carollo said. “He was trying to defame me. They were not protesting anything about the park. They have a right to free speech. But they tried to cause disruption.”

The protest group, which referred to itself as CUCK — or the Committee to Undermine the Carollo Klan — showed up at the park during a speech by Carollo for an arts project he championed but has been questioned by many, including by some in Miami’s booming fine arts community.

Carollo, who chairs the trust which oversees Bayfront and Ferré parks in downtown Miami, latched on to the concept of dozens of colorful animal sculptures in the park next to the city’s museums about two years ago.

Some residents questioned the plan and said they considered it a waste of money. But the commissioner pushed forward, saying the concept was born when a friend sent his wife, Marjorie — who nicknamed herself Cat Mom on her Facebook page — a video of El Parque del Gato de Tejada in Cali, Colombia. The park, adorned with 16 cat sculptures, has become a tourist attraction. Carollo said he expects tourists to flock to Miami’s new exhibit in similar fashion.

Corben, who filmed Saturday’s event, said he considers the pet sculptures a waste of public resources. He acknowledged his role in the protest, saying the chicken suits are part of his extensive wardrobe collection.

“He misappropriated nearly $1 million in public funds for his wife’s project,” Corben said.

According to a police report filed after the protest and arrest, the park’s manager and security chief told officers the chickens were being disruptive and no longer welcome. When Miami Sergeant-At-Arms Omar Ayala and another officer approached the group and told them they had to move back to the sidewalk, Gianola refused, according to his arrest report.

Video showed officers marching him offsite, cuffing him while in the chicken suit, then removing it.

“Apparently the chicken was not complying,” said Miami Police spokeswoman Kiara Delva.

Defense attorney Winker, who said he is representing Gianola along with attorneys Jose Quinon and Frank Quintero, said the officers overreacted, that his client never heard their commands while in the crowd and that the charges should be dropped immediately.

“They tell the chickens to leave,” he said. “Three of the chickens do the right thing and back off. My chicken is separate from them. He doesn’t hear any of this. The next thing he knows he’s getting roughed up. He was never told to leave.”