Petition to French Government: ban bullfighting!

This petition asks the French Minister of Culture to ban bullfighting. The corridas were banned in France in 1884 but reintroduced in 1951. Sign and share!

Campaign created by: LaurentArles

Purpose: End bulls suffering and slaughter by banning corridas in France

Campaign addressed to: Fleur Pellerin, Minister of Culture and Communication

Ministry of Culture and Communication

3, rue de Valois

75001 Paris (France)

Tel +33140158000

Petition: ban bullfighting

Dear hon. Fleur Pellerin,

Bullfighting is likely one of the cruelest traditions against animals. It is widely practiced in Spain and many South American countries, but many people often forget that it is also authorized in some parts of France. We ask the French Ministry of Culture to revoke the recognition of bullfighting as a cultural patrimony and to ban this corridas everywhere in France.

What is bullfighting?

In France, bullfighting is practiced following the Spanish style, where a bull is slaughtered by a matador after having been repeatedly stabbed by picadores and banderilleros, a killing disguised as an art by the use of choreography, costumes, music and an impressive arena.

History of bullfighting in France

Europe has a long tradition of bull abuse. Even in England, where bull shows don't exist anymore, bull-baiting was common until the 19th century. France had also bull racing, and imported bull fighting from Spain at the beginning of the 18^th’s century. However, the Grammont Law of 1850 banned any show which involved the mistreatments and suffering of domestic animals. At first the corridas were excluded, but in 1884 the law was also applied to bullfighting, a decision confirmed in 1895 by the Court of Cassation (France’s court of last resort). In 1932, another decision of the Court of Cassation confirmed the previous decision.

Nevertheless, the law was never fully enforced, and the authorities tolerated some bull related shows until 1951, when an amendment was passed to the law, to exclude bullfighting from the scope of the Grammont Law in the parts of France where there was an uninterrupted tradition of corridas. Furthermore, in 2011 the French Ministery of Culture declared bullfighting as part of the French cultural patrimony.

Why do we ask for a ban on bullfighting?

• No tradition should be kept if that entails unnecessary animal suffering. Bullfighting is cruel and we must put an end to it. This “tradition” comes from a time where slavery was still legal in many parts of the world. An old practice is not always a fair practice.
• Bullfighting was illegal for 67 years in France before the ban was overruled. Defenders can’t really claim that this is a tradition if it was banned for so long, even if it was sometimes tolerated.
• France is the home of the French Revolution, and has a tradition of progress and human rights. Banning bullfighting in France will send a powerful message to other countries, especially its Spanish neighbor, and will help achieve the final goal, which is to abolish this practice worldwide.

French people are great animal defenders; they often support animal causes abroad (such as bans on dolphin hunting in Japan and elephant hunting in Botswana). We ask them to be logical and also fight to end animal abuse on their own country.

Yours sincerely,

LaurentArles

Goal: 10,000

Sign and share this petition if you care about animal welfare.