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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Marina Dunbar

Gee, whiz: elephant relieves itself on floor of Texas Republican convention

Man in blue blazer in wheelchair with arm around woman in red smile for picture, with African elephant in red, white and blue headdress behind them.
Governor Greg Abbott in front of Paige the elephant at the Texas Republican convention in Houston on Friday. Photograph: Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers/Getty Images

An African elephant weighing roughly 4 tons that was brought to the Texas Republican party’s annual convention to excite attenders ended up drawing widespread attention for the wrong reasons after she urinated on the convention floor and became the focus of animal welfare concerns.

Inside the George R Brown convention center in Houston on Friday, attenders had been told to prepare for a “larger-than-life surprise” after governor Greg Abbott finished his keynote speech. Organizers also displayed a message asking people to keep the aisles clear.

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