Kayla, the bald eagle, was almost punched at a soccer match back in September, and the attack has now led to an arrest. According to The Guardian , a 34-year-old man was arrested for his attack of the Crystal Palace mascot on Friday.
The incident happened during a soccer game held on September 23. Violence broke out during a game between Crystal Palace and Charlton. The man is being investigated on charges of violent disorder and attempted criminal damage, but no charges have been filed against him yet, according to the authorities.
The man’s arrest was not the only arrest though. Six others were arrested during a raid earlier this week for the violence that occurred during the September soccer game. The game ended in a tie that day.
#CAFC fan arrested on suspicion of punching Kayla the #CPFC bald eagle https://t.co/r0XEiK8ZNB pic.twitter.com/FILZ5LQhfJ
— Standard Sport (@standardsport) November 20, 2015
According to the Daily Mail , the six men arrested on Wednesday have been bailed. One of the men, Zach Ellis, will need to appear in court on December 10. The five remaining men will need to return to court in January. It has been reported that the man that attempted to punch Kayla is still in police custody in London. Cell phone footage of the violence at the soccer match shows the authorities failing to keep control of the crowd.
Who is Kayla, the Bald Eagle ? She is considered a bit of a celebrity in the animal world. She is the first live mascot for the Crystal Palace soccer team, and she has also appeared on the album cover for Kings of Leon’s Only by The Night and in the movie Clash of the Titans .
Kayla has been busy with her mascot duties since 2010 though. That is when she managed to land the job of mascot. The team also auditioned another eagle for the spot, but it was Kayla that felt most comfortable flying down the field, according to Chris Belsey, who is her trainer.
This is Kayla a Canadian Bald Eagle at Eagle Heights in Kent, better known as the Crystal Palace official Mascot. pic.twitter.com/axuC9968WU
— Bob Matthews (@bobmatt) March 31, 2013
Belsey spoke with NBC Sports about Kayla in an interview back in September. He shared a funny story about her time as a mascot during the interview.
“The funniest story was when Kayla decided she didn’t want her food and that a fan’s sandwich looked a lot tastier. After munching the sandwich, feeling rather full, she waddled back to me and decided no more flying for the day! She decided walking up and down the pitch was all she could do after her free lunch!”
When she is not playing mascot for Crystal Palace, she resides at the Eagle Heights Center . The main website for the center shares Kayla’s story. She finally landed at the Eagle Heights Center in Kent after some time.
“Kayla’s story began in Canada where she was born with her sister. Barely chicks, they were cruelly stolen from the wild. Later, they were found by authorities and quickly released back into the wild. Unfortunately, as a result of their lack of natural upbringing, they were unable to hunt and began stealing food from the locals! Despite her troubled beginning, Kayla has really found her wings at Eagle Heights. She has been fortunate to find a forever home here and all that lay eyes on her simply fall in love with her grace!”
Eagle Heights Center has had some trouble with funding over the years, but donations have managed to keep the site open to help Kayla and other bald eagles that need a sanctuary. More than 100 raptors call the sanctuary home, but there are many other animals that reside at the Eagle Heights Center.
What do you think of the attack on Kayla, the bald eagle? Are you shocked a fan would attempt to hurt the Crystal Palace mascot?
[Image via Shutterstock]
