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End bullfighting in France
30 September 2005

The Irish Council Against Blood Sports has renewed its appeal to the French Government to end bullfighting in the southern part of the country. The call comes following the release of horrific images (see below) of bloodied bulls being dragged from a French bullring.

The shocking scene captured by Saskia Oskam of Anti Bullfighting Committee the Netherlands shows the dead animals with chains around their heads being pulled from a bullring in the French Riviera resort of Frejus.

Back in January 2005, ICABS applauded the French village of Mouans-Sartoux when it made history by becoming the country's first to declare itself anti-bullfighting. It was a tremendous move which other towns and villages are being urged to follow. However, until legislation is introduced by the government to fully outlaw bullfighting, the blood sport looks likely to continue in France.

Despite opposition to bullfighting among a majority of French citizens, it continues to be permitted in 68 towns in the south of the country. The government's stance up to now is that towns which have a continuous tradition of bullfighting are free to torture and kill bulls. It's a policy that has been broken by numerous local authorities - in 2002, for example, Carcassonne resumed bullfighting after 48 years.

Please join us in our appeal to the French President and Prime Minister to intervene to finally rid France of this deplorable activity.

President Jacques Chirac
Palais de l'Elysee
55, rue du faubourg
Saint-Honore,
75008 Paris
France
Email from: www.elysee.fr/ecrire/mail.htm

Mr Dominique de Villepin
French Prime Minister
Hotel de Matignon
57 rue de Varenne
75700 Paris
France
Email from: http://www.premier-ministre.gouv.fr/acteurs/premier_ministre/ecrire

Please ensure to send a copy of your correspondence to:

The Frejus Tourist Board
Email: tourisme@frejus.fr

Mr Frederic Grasset
French Ambassador to Ireland
French Embassy in Ireland
36 Ailesbury Road
Dublin 4
Email: ambassadeur@ambafrance.ie

Mr Gerard Errera
Ambassador of France to the United Kingdom
French Embassy in the United Kingdom
58 Knightsbridge
London SW1X 7JT
Email: presse.londres-amba@diplomatie.gouv.fr

Find the contact details for a French Embassy in your country at:
http://www.embassy-worldwide.com/country/france/

SAMPLE LETTER
(If possible, please write your own original letter. Be assertive, but polite, in all correspondence).

Dear Sir,

I am writing to demand that bullfighting is finally banned in France.

Bullfighting is an horrific blood sport which should have no place in a modern country like France. I do not accept that towns which have a bullfighting tradition should be allowed to continue practising it.

Recent images from the town of Frejus show the bloodied victims of bullfighting in Southern France. I hope that you can act to bring this animal abuse to an end in your country.

Thank you. I look forward to your positive reply.

Yours sincerely,

Name/Location

Photos: Bullfighting in France

Dead brown bull with chain around head
A bull killed in a French bullring is hoisted into a truck for removal. Shamefully, the blood sport continues to be permitted in over 60 towns in southern France. (Photo: Saskia Oskam)

Bloodied bull being dragged along ground
A bloodied bull is dragged along with a chain after being killed in the French Riviera resort of Frejus. (Photo: Saskia Oskam)

Dead black bull with teeth showing
A victim of French bullfighting is pulled along the ground after being brutally killed during a bullfight. (Photo: Saskia Oskam)

Brown bull being hoisted into white truck
A dead bull with a chain around its head is lifted into a truck. The unfortunate creature is one of the victims of bullfighting in southern France. (Photo: Saskia Oskam)

More Info: Bullfighting Cruelty

Previous Bullfighting News Items
Proposal to ban bullfighting in France (21 January 2005)
"China Daily" criticises Shanghai bullfights (02 November 2004)
Lodge protest against Pamplona bull run (13 July 2004)
Ban bullfights in Catalonia (29 June 2004)
Coca-Cola order removal of bullring banner (02 June 2004)
Barcelona declared anti-bullfighting city (07 April 2004)

Petition
Please visit the Petitions section to sign our "Ban Bullfighting in Catalonia" petition.

Anti-bullfighting Websites
For general information on the ICABS campaign against bullfighting, please visit our Ban Bullfighting Website where you will find images, video clips and petitions.


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