The largest Italian circus, Madagascar Circus, located in Turin, has ceased operations following a court order of confiscation due to accusations of exploiting undocumented migrant workers.
Italy’s labor protection police unit sealed off Madagascar Circus, its equipment, and 67 vehicles. Authorities also imposed restrictions on the owner’s movements and froze their bank accounts.
Investigators accuse the circus’s owning company of exploiting four undocumented workers from India, who endured “degrading working and living conditions.”
The workers were forced to live in a single trailer with 10 other people, share one bathroom, and were paid between €180 and €250 per week for a minimum of 10 hours of work per day.
The investigation began in April 2023, when one Indian worker was hospitalized in a coma. He had fallen from a height of 18–20 meters while dismantling a large tent. After emerging from the coma and recovering, the worker recounted the harsh working conditions to law enforcement.
Madagascar Circus claims to be the largest circus in Italy. Its two-hour show features about 100 animals, acrobats, and tightrope walkers.
