An influencer who jokingly filmed herself asking her dog whether they should "go burn the circus" after witnessing an act of animal cruelty was found by a court to have acted threateningly and had essentially incited crime.

Sarah Michelle Angelica Grech, a 22-year-old content creator from San Ġwann who posts on Instagram, landed herself in hot water over a 1.22-minute video she posted a few days after personally witnessing an episode of animal cruelty at a circus show.

During one of the evening shows, a live duck was thrown at the audience several times by the performer. 

Grech, who was present in the audience, shouted out to the performer in a panic and then alerted the police and the Animal Welfare Department about what she had witnessed. 

But the matter did not stop there. 

Three days later, Grech began to post comments on social media attacking the director of the Splash and Fun Park, Patrick Vella, who was hosting the circus and the show. 

On December 30, 2022, Vella turned up at the Naxxar police station to file a report about the video, which his son had come across on Instagram.

That footage featured Grech who was talking to her dog. 

In one snippet she could clearly be heard telling her pet, “Should we go burn the circus? For legal purposes that’s a joke….maybe.”

That comment was taken as a threat by Vella who was concerned about the safety of his family and his employees. 

Later that afternoon, police contacted Grech who, after consulting her lawyer, opted for silence. 

She was subsequently charged with insulting and threatening Vella, misusing electronic communication equipment and incitement to commit a crime. 

During the proceedings, Vella testified that neither he nor the production team in charge of the circus show had given the performer permission to use a live animal.

In fact, following that incident, the artist was given a warning and fired. 

Vella explained that he had called in a vet to check the animal, covered expenses and later returned the duck to her previous owner, a farmer. 

He also shouldered the €2,000 fine for the breach of the law banning the use of live animals in circuses. 

But Grech’s comments had scared his workers and also the circus performers with some thinking of quitting and leaving Malta, Vella explained. 

Grech’s lawyer argued that it was a satirical meme.

Speaking to her dog made those threats not credible.

But the court presided over by Magistrate Yana Micallef Stafrace, did not agree. 

Grech’s words, “For legal purposes that’s a joke….maybe,” seemed that she was leaving it up to her followers to interpret whether that was meant as a threat or not.

And asking, “Should we go burn the circus?” was no joke. Such words triggered legitimate fear in those working at the circus and the park, observed the magistrate. 

Citing case law, the court observed that such memes had a viral effect and could cause serious consequences which could not be checked.

The court found Grech guilty of threats and incitement to commit a crime, taking into consideration her age and untainted record when condemning her to a €1,000 fine. 

The court also bound the defendant under a €2000 personal obligation valid for ten months.

Grech's Instagram account is now private.