INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENT AGAINST BULLFIGHTS
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INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENT AGAINST BULLFIGHTS |
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BULLFIGHTS IN FRANCE BULLFIGHTING SCHOOLS – THE “ART” OF TORTURING AND KILLING In Southern France there are 5 bullfighting schools.  From 5-6 years old the children begin to attend these schools with their parents permission. They begin to learn how to torture and kill animals.  It is difficult to imagine the carnage at these practise sessions due to the inexperience of the children.  Once again the authorities subsidise these “schools” with tax payers money. BULLFIGHTS (STYLES) * Spanish Bullfights * Tourada (Portuguese bullfight) * Rejoneo (Bullfight with horsemen) * Capeas * Courses Camarguaises (Bullfights in Camargue) * Courses de vaches Landaises (Cows in Landes) * Bullfights without the killing of the bull * Ferrades * Lachers of bulls * Toro-Piscine (Circus bullfights) SPANISH BULLFIGHTS A disgusting show opening with a parade of bullfighters (dressed in traditional torturers outfits) presenting themselves to the audience to the sound of music. Forcibly expelled from the pen("toril")to an unknown environment without possiblity of escape, the bull is defenceless. Several men taunt him with capes. Their objective is to mislead or confuse the bull in order to tire him. The "picador" then enters the ring, riding a horse wearing a protective padded cape. The picador has an instument called a "puya", a kind of long spear, terminating in a triangular pyramid of iron, that cuts like a razor.  From the back of the horse, the picador stabs the bull with the puya, aiming particularly at the neck muscles in order to weaken the animal and to prevent him from raising his head. The bull tries to defend himself, but cannot reach the picador, only the horse. Despite the protective padding, the horse is frequently severely wounded. To control the horse's terror, his eyes are blindfolded, his ears are plugged, and he is sedated. After this appear the "toreros"(bullfighters), each armed with 2 "banderillas"(a kind of stick covered with colourful papers and the tip of which is a kind of harpoon 5-7 cm in length). Several pairs of banderillas are stuck in the bull. The animal due to his suffering struggles in vain to get rid of them, but every movement just increases his pain. After the stabbing by the banderillas, the matador (bullkiller) enters to continue the carnage. He repeatedly stabs the bull with a sword to kill him, since it's rare that the animal is killed by the first stab. If the bull does not die, another instrument is used, a kind of small sword (called "descabello"). The bull is then stabbed with this several times near the first cervical vetebrae. The bull is then dragged out the bullring by an sort of carriage drawn by two horses. Sometimes the bull is still alive and when he arrives to the slaughter house of the bullring - he is butchered while still alive. Up to 5 or 6 bulls are massacred in each bullfight, in a torture that lasts 20 minutes. TOURADA (Portuguese Bullfights) In Portuguese bullfighting, bulls endure the same suffering as in French/Spanish ones, although the bullfighters claim otherwise. The horsemen that perform in Portuguese bullfights torture bulls in private rings to train. They also force the horses to train hard in order to get them obedient and gentle. In the Portuguese bullfights, the bull is brutally expelled from the pen to the bullring where he will face the rider who will stab him with several harpoons ("banderillas"). Due to the intense pain the bull tries without success to chase the rider in order to defend himself, but inevitably the only sufferer will be the horse, even if the horns of the bull are padded. When the bull is exhausted, his body pierced by several banderillas causing extremely pain and torment, 8 men ("forcados") enter in the bullring. 7 of these men assault the bull, grabbing the head, whilst the remaining one grasps the tail eventually immobilizing the weakened animal. The bull is then taken to the pen ("curro") where he will wait in tremendous pain sometimes for up to 2 days until the opening of the slaughterhouse. The banderillas are ripped from his body by force leaving huge holes and wounds. REJONEO (Bullfights with horsemen) In this style of bullfighting instruments called rejones are used which are stuck into the bulls by rejoneadores (horsemen). Like in other bullfights, they train in private on bulls, torturing them to practise their sadistic skills, before they appear in these performances. The bull is forced into the bullring where he is confronted by these men. The bull is then stuck with many of their harpoons which have a lenght of 5-7cm. The horses are changed several times as they become too frightened to use. Harpoons with a blade of 15 or 25 cm ("rejones") are also stuck into the bull. The torture of the animal continues with the so called "death rejon". This device has a blade of 65 cm and is stuck in the back of the bull. It's common that in these kind of bullfights the horses are deeply wounded by the horns of the bulls in their bellies, loosing their intestines and consequentely die.     CAPEAS Young bulls are the victims here. They are fought by inexperienced bullfighters on foot or on horseback. The torture lasts for much longer in these cases before the bull is finally massacred, so that the learners can practise their skills for longer. COURSES CAMARGUAISES (Bullfights in Camargue) Before the show the bull is immobilized inside a kind of box where they attach to his horns several ribbons. As soon as he is sent to the bullring, men run in front of the animal trying to take the ribbons with a weapon that has a metallic crochet of 16 points.  During this show the animal is struck several times with this instrument, causing wounds in the head or in the eyes. These animals need several months to recover after each of these shows before they will be used again. COURSES DE VACHES LANDAISES (Bullfights with cows) Each cow is put in a metallic box where men attach a rope to her horns, the other end of the rope is outside the box from which the animal will be expelled brutally. In the ring 2 or 3 men pull the cow by her horns. From behind a wooden barricade, a man pulls the rope causing violent pain to the cow by banging her head against the barricade. They also use a spear to force the cow to the middle of the ring. The animal's head is always controlled by the rope. BULLFIGHTS WITHOUT THE KILLING OF THE BULL Groups composed of bullfighters, horsemen, etc, move from one place to another with portable bullrings. Around 8 small bulls or cows of Camargue (very young ones, most of them very thin) are transported in a truck which is used as a pen during the performance. The bulls are guided within the small space of the truck by use of a kind of trident.  When the door of the truck is opened and one animal is expelled to the bullring, his main reaction is fear as he tries in vain to find an exit and repeatedly tries to jump the barricade. After being provoked with a kind of cape, the bullfighter sticks several banderillas in his body. Due to his intense pain the animal tries in vain to get rid of the banderillas, causing even more pain. Then he is returned to the truck where the banderillas are pulled out by force. In the bullring besides the bullfighters on foot there are also horsemen. They ride horses that have a sort of protective padding, chasing the bull and piercing his flesh with several banderillas. The horses receive the defensive strikes of the bulls. Generally the horns of the bulls are padded, nevertheless this causes traumatic internal injuries to the horses. FERRADES The ferrades are very cruel practises used by the breeders and scandalously promoted in shows targeted at tourists. They consist in marking the young bulls with a searing hot iron. The animal is grabbed and dragged to the ground by several men in order to mark his skin with this iron, which causes intense pain since the skin of the bull is burned like in a barbecue. LACHERS OF BULLS The "abrivado" consists of running young bulls or cows in the streets, persued by crowds of people. They are also guided by horsemen that have spears who stick them during the shows in order to injure them and to make them fall. The "encierros" are also a kind of running of bulls where they are persecuted by several persons who kick them, twist their tails, throw projetiles, etc. The animals try to escape, but invariably hurt themselves and fall. Generally there are several accidents and sometimes people are killed. TORO-PISCINE (Circus bullfights) Here hypocrisy is the rule. There is no blood but the bulls and cows are toys for "entertainment". The same animals are used several times in these shows. The young terrified calves are chased by the group that attack them, twisting their heads and tails to make them fall, exploding fireworks to terrify them, kicking and striking them and forcing them to walk on two legs, in spite of all the pain caused. During these shows the public are invited to the bullring where men, excited by the preceding events, violently attack them. Sometimes to entertain the youth, a little cow is put in the bullring. The children, after seeing adults molesting the animals, do the same. (The explanations given on this page about bullfighting in France were loosely translated from the book "Le Grand Bluff Tauromachique" by Andree Valadier).  These are some of the towns that have bullfights. Please send your emails/letters of protest: AIGNAN Mairie Place du Colonel Parisot 32290 Aignan France Fax : + 33 (0)5 62 09 22 46 Email:aignan@wanadoo.fr Office de Tourisme Place du Colonel Parisot 32290 Aignan France E-mail : si.aignan@wanadoo.fr AIRE-SUR-L'ADOUR Mairie Hotel de Ville 40800 Aire-sur-L'Adour France Fax + 33 (0)5 58 71 84 40 Email:mairie.aire@wanadoo.fr Office de Tourisme Place Général Leclerc 40800 Aire sur l'Adour France Fax: + 33 (0)5 58 71 64 70 Email:otsi.aire@wanadoo.fr ALÈS Mairie pl Hôtel de Ville 30100 Alès France Email:communication@ville-ales.net Office de Tourisme Place de L'Hotel de Ville BP 345 30115 Alès Cedex France Fax + 33 (0) 46 65 25 709 Email:tourisme@ville-ales-net ARAMON Mairie Place Raspail 30390 Aramon France Fax. +33 (0) 4 66 57 38 99 Office de Tourisme 186 Avenue Jean Moulin 30390 Aramon France Fax + 33 (0) 46 65 73 751 Email:tourisme.aramon@wanadoo.fr ARLES Mairie BP 196 13637 Arles Cedex France Fax + 33 (0) 49 04 93 702 Email:h.schiavetti@ville-arles.fr Office de Tourisme Courrier - BP 21 13633 Arles Cedex France Fax: + 33 (0) 49 01 84 129 Email:ot-arles@visitprovence.com ARZACQ Mairie Place de la Republique 64410 Arzacq-Arraziguet France Fax :+ 33 (0) 5 59 04 58 77 Email:mairie@arzacq.com,henri.fam@arzacq.com BAYONNE Hotel de Ville Place de la Liberte BP 4 64109 Bayonne Cedex France http://www.bayonne.fr/index.php?id=132 Office de Tourisme Place des Basques BP 189 64108 Bayonne Cedex France Fax + 33 (0) 55 05 93 755 Email:infos@bayonne-tourisme.com BEAUCAIRE Mairie Hôtel de Ville Place Georges Clemenceau BP 134 - 30302 Beaucaire France Fax: + 33 (0) 4 66 59 30 40 Email:webmestre@beaucaire.fr,beaucaire@free.fr Office du tourisme 24 Cours Gambetta 30300 Beaucaire France Fax : + 33 (0) 4 66 59 68 51 BEZIERS Mairie Hotel de Ville Place Gabriel Peri 34566 Beziers Cedex France Fax + 33 (0) 46 73 67 359 Office de Tourisme 29, avenue Saint Saëns 34500 Beziers France Fax : 33 (0) 4 67 76 50 80 Email :tourisme@ville-beziers.fr BOUGUE Mairie 20 rue du Docteur Laffite 40090 Bougue France Fax. + 33 (0) 5 58 52 93 56 Email:commune.bougue@wanadoo.fr CARCASSONNE Mairie 32, rue Aimé Ramond 11835 Carcassonne Cédex 9 France Fax :+ 33 (0) 46 87 77 010 Office de Tourisme 28, rue de Verdun 11890 Carcassonne Cédex Fax :+ 33 (0) 468 102 438 Email: accueil@carcassonne-tourisme.com CAPTIEUX Mairie de Captieux 1 place du 8 Mai 1945 33840 Captieux France Fax: + 33 (0) 55 66 56 566 Email:mairie.captieux@wanadoo.fr CERET Mairie 8, Bvd Maréchal Joffre 66400 Céret France Fax :+ 33 (0) 4 68 87 32 43 E-mail:mairie@ot-ceret.fr Office du Tourisme 1, Avenue Georges Clemenceau 66400 Ceret France Fax + 33 (0) 4 68 87 00 56 E-mail: contact@ot-ceret.fr CHATEAURENARD Mairie Place de l'Eglise - BP 10 13838 Châteaurenard de Provence cedex France Fax - + 33 (0) 4 90 90 01 92 Email:maire@chateaurenard.com,communication@chateaurenard.com Office de Tourisme 11, cours Carnot 13160 Châteaurenard France Fax: + 33 (0) 4 90 24 25 52 Email: ot@chateaurenard.com COLLIOURE Mairie 3 rue République 66190 Collioure France Fax+ 33 (0) 4 68 82 14 28 http://www.collioure.net/contact.asp Office de Tourisme Place du 18 Juin 66190 Collioure France Email:contact@collioure.com DAX Mairie Rue St Pierre 40100 Dax France Fax: + 33 (0) 5 58 74 45 22 Email:information@dax.fr Office de Tourisme BP 177 - 11 cours Foch 40104 Dax Cedex France Fax 33 (0) 5 58 56 86 80 Email:info@dax-tourisme.com EAUZE Mairie Hotel de Ville Place de la République BP 20 32800 Eauze - Gers France Fax : (0) 56 20 97 920 Email :eauze@mairie-eauze.fr Office de Tourisme Place d'Armagnac 32800 Eauze - Gers France Fax + 33 (0) 56 20 81 122 Email:office-tourisme.eauze@wanadoo.fr FONTVIEILLE Mairie 8, rue Marcel Honorat 13990 Fontvieille France Fax + 33 (0) 49 05 46 487 Email:mairie.fontvieille@wanadoo.fr Office de Tourisme 5, Rue Marcel Honorat 13990 Fontvieille France Fax + 33 (0) 49 05 46 982 Email:contact@fontvieille-provence.com GARLIN Mairie 3 pl Résistance 64330 Garlin France Fax. + 33 (0) 5 59 04 74 81 E-mail: contact@cc-garlin.fr GIMONT Mairie 85 Rue Nationale BP 26 32201 Gimont France fax :+ 33 (0) 56 26 77 986 Email: gimont@wanadoo.fr Office du Tourisme 83 rue nationale BP 32 32200 Gimont France Fax : + 33 (0) 5 62 67 93 61 Email: contact@ot-gimont.com HAGETMAU Mairie 17 rue Victor Hugo 40700 Hagetmau France Fax: + 33 (0) 55 80 57 778 Email:mairiehagetmau@wanadoo.fr Tourisme Place de la République 40700 Hagetmau France Fax: + 33 (0 )55 87 94 727 Email: tourisme.hagetmau@wanadoo.fr ISTRES Mairie 3, Abel Aubrun 13800 Istres France Fax :+ 33 (0) 4 42 55 50 53 Office de Tourisme 30 allées Jean Jaurès 13800 Istres France http://www.istres.fr/index.php?id=409 LA BREDE Mairie Place Saint-Jean d'Etampes 33650 La Brede France Fax: + 33 (0 )5 57 97 18 50 Email:contact@labrede-montesquieu.com Office de Tourisme 3, Place Marcel Vayssière Martillac 33650 Montesquieu France Fax: + 33 (0) 55 67 84 669 Email: info@otmontesquieu.com LUNEL Mairie 240 avenue Victor Hugo 34400 Lunel France Fax: + 33 (0) 4 67 87 84 41 Email: mairie@ville-lunel.fr Office de Tourisme du Pays de Lunel 16, cours Gabriel Péri - BP 68 34402 Lunel Cedex France Fax : + 33 (0) 46 77 12 667 Email:officedetourisme@ville-lunel.fr,contact@ot-paysdelunel.fr MAUBOURGET Mairie Rue de l'Hôtel de Ville 65700 Maubourget France Fax: + 33 (0) 56 29 64 988 Email: mairie.maubourguet@laposte.net Office du Tourisme 30, rue Maréchal Joffre 65700 Maubourget France Fax: + 33 (0) 56 23 17 145 Email: tourisme.maubourguet@wanadoo.fr MAUGUIO Mairie Place de la Liberation B.P. 25 34132 Mauguio Cedex France Fax: + 33 (0) 4 67 29 29 74 Email: mairie@mauguio-carnon.com Office de Tourisme Rue du Levant 34280 Carnon France Fax: + 33 (0) 4 67 50 54 04 Email: tourisme@mauguio-carnon.com MILLAS Mairie Place de l'¨Hôtel de Ville 66170 Millas fax:+ 33 (0) 4 68 57 33 16 Email: mairie@millas.com.fr Office de Tourisme 66170 Millas France Fax: + 33 (0) 46 85 79 508 Email:syndicat.d.initiative.millas@wanadoo.fr MONT MARSAN Mairie Hôtel de ville 2 place du Général Leclerc 40000 Mont-de-Marsan France Fax: + 33 (0) 5 58 05 87 86 Email: mairie@mont-de-marsan.org Office de Tourisme 6, place du Général Leclerc - B.P.305 40000 Mont-de-Marsan France Fax : +33 (0) 55 80 58 736 Email: tourisme@mont-de-marsan.org MUGRON Mairie Place Chantilly 40250 Mugron France Fax: + 33 (0 )55 89 79 427 Office du Tourisme 6/8, rue Vincent Depaul 40250 Mugron France fax : + 33 (0) 55 89 79 941 Email: mugron.office-du-tourisme@wanadoo.fr NÎMES Mairie Place de l'Hôtel de Ville 30033 Nîmes Cedex 9 France Fax: + 33 (0) 46 67 67 450 Email: conseil-municipal@ville-nimes.fr Office de Tourisme 6 rue Auguste 30000 Nîmes France Fax + 33 (0) 4 66 58 38 01 Email:info@ot-nimes.fr ORTHEZ Mairie 1 place d’Armes 64300, Orthez France Fax. + 33 (0) 55 96 90 182 Email:info@mairie-orthez.fr,communication@mairie-orthez.fr Office de Tourisme Maison Jeanne d'Albret Rue Bourg Vieux 64300 Orthez France Fax + 33 (0) 55 96 91 200 Email: orthez@tourisme-bearn-gaves.fr RIEUMES Mairie 1, Place d'Armes 31370 Rieumes France Email:rieumes.info@ville-rieumes.fr Office de Tourisme 9, Place d'Armes 31370 Rieumes France E-mail:rieumes.info@ville-rieumes.fr ROQUEFORT Mairie de Roquefort 1 Place du Soleil d’Or 40120 Roquefort France Fax :+ 33 (0) 5 58 45 53 63 Office de Tourisme Place du Soleil d'Or 40120 Roquefort France Fax :+33 (0) 55 84 55 363 Email:ville-roquefort@wanadoo.fr PALAVAS Mairie Boulevard Maréchal Joffre Front de mer rive gauche 34250 Palavas-les-Flots France Email:mairie@palavaslesflots.com,communication@palavaslesflots.com Office de Tourisme Phare de la Méditerranée 34250 Palavas-les-Flots France Fax : + 33 (0) 4 67 07 73 58 Email:tourisme@palavaslesflots.com PARENTIS Mairie Hôtel de Ville Avenue du Maréchal Foch - BP 42 40161 Parentis-en-Born CEDEX France Fax : + 33 (0) 5 58 78 90 22 Email:mairie@parentis.com Office du Tourisme Place du Général de Gaulle 40160 Parentis En Born France Fax : + 33 (0) 5 58 78 43 60 Email:oft@parentis.com PLAISANCE DU GERS Mairie 32160 Plaisance du Gers France Email:mairie-plaisance-du-gers@wanadoo.fr Office du Tourisme 4 rue Ste-Quitterie 32160 Plaisance France Email:plaisance@free.fr PONTOX SUR L'ADOUR Mairie 50 place de l'Hôtel de Ville 40465 Pontox sur l'Adour France Fax: + 33 (0) 55 85 72 389 Email:mairie.pontonx@wanadoo.fr Office du Tourisme 143, av. Robert Labeyrie 40465 Pontox sur l'Adour France Fax: + 33 (0) 55 85 79 560 Email:syndicatinitiativepontonx@wanadoo.fr RION DES LANDES Mairie 148 avenue Albert Poisson 40370 Rion des Landes France Fax: + 33 (0) 55 85 71 952 Email:mairie-rion@wanadoo.fr RISCLE Mairie 32400 Riscle France Email:mairie-de-riscle@wanadoo.fr Office du Tourisme du Canton de Riscle 6, place du Foirail 32400 Riscle France Fax : + 33 (0) 56 26 98 607 Email:canton.riscle@wanadoo.fr SAINT-GILLES Mairie Place Jean Jaurès 30800 Saint-Gilles France Fax. + 33 (0) 46 68 77 819 Email:contact@ville-saint-gilles.fr Office du Tourisme 1, place Frédéric MISTRAL 30800 Saint-Gilles France Fax : + 33 (0) 46 68 71 628 E-Mail: contact@ot-saint-gilles.fr SAINT-MARTIN-DE-CRAU Mairie BP 1 13558 Saint-Martin-de-Crau cedex France Fax : + 33 (0) 4 90 47 34 52 Email:le-maire-smc@ville-saint-martin-de-crau.fr Office tu Tourisme Avenue de la République 13310 Saint-Martin-de-Crau France Fax: + 33 (0) 49 04 79 844 Email:tourisme-smc@ville-saint-martin-de-crau.fr SAINT PERDON Mairie 20 place de la Mairie 40090 Saint Perdon France Fax :+ 33 (0) 55 87 54 930 Email:stperdon@wanadoo.fr SAINT REMY-DE-PROVENCE Mairie Place Jules Pélissier 13210 Saint-Rémy-de-Provence France Office de Tourisme Place Jean Jaures 13210 St.Remy-de-Provence France Fax +33 (0) 49 09 23 852 Email:info@saintremydeprovence.com SAINT SEVER Mairie Hôtel de Ville - BP 90027 40501 Saint-Sever Cedex France Fax :+ 33 (0) 55 87 63 852 Email:cabinet-maire@mairiesaintsever.9tel.com Office de Tourisme Place du Tour du Sol 40500 Saint Sever France Fax + 33 (0) 55 87 64 355 Email:tourisme@cc-capdegascogne.fr SAINT VICENT DE TYROSSE Mairie 24 avenue Nationale 40230 Saint Vicent de Tyrosse Fax : + 33 (0) 5 58 77 05 91 Email:contact@tyrosseville.com Office de Tourisme Placette du Midi 40230 Saint Vicent de Tyrosse France Email:pays.tyrossais@wanadoo.fr SAMADET Mairie 16 place de la Mairie 40320 Samadet France Fax: + 33 (0) 55 87 91 514 Email:maire-de-samadet@wanadoo.fr Office tu Tourisme 12, rue de l'Eglise 40320 Samadet France Fax: + 33 (0) 5 58 79 15 14 SOUSTONS Mairie 40140 Soustons Fax + 33 (0) 55 84 12 813 Email:contact@mairie-soustons.fr Office de Tourisme Grange de Labouyrie BP 53 40141 Soustons Cedex France Fax + 33 (0) 55 84 13 063 Email:tourisme.soustons@wanadoo.fr TARASCON Mairie Place du marché 13150 Tarascon France Fax: + 33 (0) 4 90 91 51 67 Email:courrier@mairie-tarascon13.fr Office de Tourisme 16 boulevard Itam 13150 Tarascon France Fax: + 33 (0) 4 90 91 22 96 Email:tourisme@tarascon.org VAUVERT Mairie Hôtel de Ville Place de la Libération BP 19 30600 Vauvert France Fax: + 33 (0) 4 66 73 30 88 Email:webmaster@vauvert.com Office de Tourisme Place Ernest Renan 30600 Vauvert France Fax: 33 (0) 4 66 88 71 25 Email:ot.vauvert@wanadoo.fr VERGÈZE Mairie Hôtel de ville de Vergèze 1, Place de la Mairie 30130 Vergèze France Fax :+ 33 (0) 4 66 73 79 80 Email:info@vergeze.fr, mairie@vergeze.fr Office de Tourisme Place de la Mairie 30310 Vergeze France Fax: + 33 (0) 4 66 35 45 92 Email:ot@cc-rhony-vistre-vidourle.fr VIC-FEZENSAC Mairie Cours Delom 32190 Vic-Fezensac France Fax : +33 (0) 562 644 713 Email:mairie.vicfezensac@wanadoo.fr Office de Tourisme 22, place Julie Saint-Avit 32190 Vic-Fezensac France Fax: + 33 (0) 5 62 64 44 33 Email:info-vic@vic-fezensac.com
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