On Wednesday, the elephant was performing in Osnabrück as part of a trio in Germany’s largest operating animal circus, Circus Krone. The elephants were carrying female performers when two of them suddenly became spooked and began ramming the third elephant out of the arena until it toppled onto the ringside crowd.

Miraculously, nobody was seriously injured in the incident, although one spectator did reportedly suffer abrasions to his leg and the elephant suffered a swollen leg. The show continued after a short break following the incident.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said incidents like this are inevitable when wild animals from different regions and families are thrust together and forced to perform under tense conditions. Elephants are often poked and prodded with sharp objects, called bullhooks, in order to keep them in line.