In
Portugal, Spanish type bullfights or death bullfights have been forbidden since
at least 1928, when the Government considered these events inappropriate for a
civilised society (bullfighting had already been totally forbidden in Portugal
in 1836, but that law only lasted for an year).
Generally,
the bullfighting tradition in
Over
the years, the people of Barrancos have been repeatedly breaking the law by
killing the bulls at the end of the bullfights. The Portuguese people became
aware of this about five years ago, when a Portuguese TV channel broadcasted the
slaughter of the animals and denounced what was happening in that village. Since
then, several animal rights organisations intervened, namely through legal
actions, as well as through public demonstrations and other activist
interventions, asking the Government to enforce the law in Barrancos (it is
important to establish that we are against all sorts of bullfights, but in
Portugal we only have legal means to prevent Spanish bullfights, since
Portuguese bullfights are unfortunately legal).
One
of the organisations most involved in this process has been ANIMAL. After
a great effort carried out by the main animal rights organisations in Portugal,
namely by ANIMAL; after countless surveys, which show that the majority
of the Portuguese people (85%) are against death bullfights and support police
intervention (ordered by the Government) to bring those brutal practices to an
end; and after many legal actions with successful results in court, the
Portuguese Government was exposed and pressured to take the necessary measures
to enforce the law in Barrancos. But the law was never enforced, since the
people of Barrancos kept threatening the Government with a rebellion against the
police, defying not only the law but also several judicial
orders.
To
these threats the Government always responded with fear, justifying their
inaction on the “principle of proportionality”. Meaning that the evil that was
to be prevented (the killing of the bulls) was less important than the evil that
could be done with a heavy police intervention (a forceful injuring of many of
the Barrancos people opposed to the police action). Of course, in this case,
this principle is absurd and has no legal support; it was only a bad excuse for
the Government to justify its inaction.
However,
not only has that law not been enforced in these last four years of legal
battles and social protests, but there were also attempts to change or revoke
the law in the Portuguese Parliament, which were twice refused by the majority
of Portuguese Parliament members
One
of these attempts was, however, half-successful in 2000, when the law was
changed, maintaining the prohibition of death bullfights, but no longer
determining jail sentence to whoever disrespected it. Instead of a crime, engaging in killing
the bulls in bullfighting became a
contravention. Still, the
prohibition of such spectacles was kept.
Unfortunately,
due to the powerful pro-bullfighting lobbies that work their influence in the
Parliament and in the newly elected Government, the law was finally revoked
about three weeks ago, against all the demands of animal rights organisations,
against the will of the majority of the Portuguese people, and, of course,
against the most fundamental moral principles that we all must uphold
to.
And
however incredible as it may seem, the President of Portugal was the main
responsible for this setback our country has witnessed regarding legal
protection for the animals. It was the President of Portugal who exhorted the
Government and the Parliament members to allow death bullfights in
The
newly approved law, not only allows for the cruel death bullfights in Barrancos,
but also leaves the way wide open for it to happen anywhere in the Country. So
far, 32 other Municipalities have already claimed the right to hold
death-bullfights!
We
have solid reasons to believe that this legislative measure was mostly motivated
by the power of the Spanish bullfighting industry and its influent lobbies in
However,
this response is clearly not enough. Since ANIMAL has done almost everything
that can be thinkable of in terms of activism in Portugal, we believe that
it will not be effective to organise some kind of protest, demonstration or
other action of this kind in Barrancos, at least this year, not even only
in Portugal. We believe that we may come to achieve better results if we expose
this situation internationally, namely in other EU member-states, in the
So,
we are preparing a combined international action for which, in order for it
to be successful, we are counting on your kind help and co-operation.
The
death-bullfights in Barrancos take place on the last three days of August
(with the slaughter of two bulls on the 29th, another two on the
30th, and of a cow and a bull on the 31st).
Our
plan is to hold simultaneous demonstrations in front of as many Portuguese
Embassies and\or Consulates as possible, all over the world, on the 29th,
between
It
is particularly important that this can happen simultaneously at this time,
in the EU member states, in the
It
would be more than enough if about a dozen activists could carry out a public
demonstration of this sort in each country where we could assure it to be
possible. We are sending material for these demonstrations (two posters –
one in Portuguese and another in English –, a press release and some suggested
slogans, both in Portuguese and English) by e-mail to the organisations and
groups that are ready to cooperate. These materials will have ANIMAL’s
logo on, and we would appreciate if the organisations participating in this
action could also include their logos.
Since
it is also very important to have good media coverage, we are quite sure that
we can get at least the Portuguese public TV channel (RTP) to cover all the
demonstrations. We have no confirmation yet, but we can probably assure that
another Portuguese TV channel (the most important one - SIC) will also cover
the demonstrations. So, one of the activists will have to be the spokesman
of the demonstration, as it is really necessary to have someone in each demonstration
that can explain what its purpose is. And the purpose is not only to reinstate
the prohibition of Spanish-type of bullfights, which are being promoted in
so many Countries around the World and are being openly pushed into Portugal
by the strong Spanish bullfighting lobbies, but we want to demand the total
ban of every sort of bullfights in Portugal. And we have every reason to demand
it firmly, since bullfighting is ethically unacceptable and is a moral scandal
that cannot be allowed in a civilised country.
The
message of these demonstrations is that the World stands along with Portuguese
animal rights organisations and with the majority of the Portuguese people
condemning bullfights and demanding its total ban.
But
the message is also that the Portuguese President, Government and Parliament
Members have legalised one of the most barbaric activities that can be performed,
by approving the torture and brutal killing of animals as if it were an acceptable
form of entertainment. As so, these responsibles for the main Portuguese political
institutions have the blood of all those innocent animals in their hands and
the World is here to denounce it and to express its total disapproval for
it.
Furthermore,
the World is warned now, and a boycott to the Portuguese tourism will soon
be started and will last until bullfighting in
What
we are asking you is, quite frankly, for your precious cooperation in helping
to carry out this plan in your country. We are trying to stop this cruelty
that is committed against animals in our country and we are facing many adversities.
But we firmly believe that we can be successful with this combined international
action and that it can assure efficient results.
Animals
need our perseverance and commitment, but in
We
feel very happy in having you with us in this ethical battle, benefiting from
your help and co-operation.
On
ANIMAL's behalf, I thank you in anticipation.
Yours,
very truly,
For
the Animals,
Miguel
Moutinho
Cell
phone: +351962 358 183; E-mail: miguelmoutinho@netcabo.pt