Prosecutor Geneva International Court of Justice for Animal Rights ...

Prosecutor
Geneva
International Court of Justice for Animal Rights
Caroline LANTY
Charges
Against
Mr. Nicolas SARKOZY, President of the Republic- France
Mr François FILLON, Prime Minister – France
Mr. José-Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO, President of the Government – Spain
Charged with:
Mr. José Manuel BARROSO, President of the European Commission
Mr. Jorgé SAMPAIO, former President of the Republic - Portugal
The National Federation of Bullfighting Schools
The Union of Fighting Bull Breeders
The National Union of Bullfighting Show Organisers and Promoters
The Professional Matadors Union
- Tolerating and supporting the practice of bullfighting, considered by the majority of
your fellow citizens as unworthy of a civilised nation
- Allowing crimes against animals to be committed by accepting torture as a source of
public entertainment
- Breaching French legislation by not prosecuting bullfight organisers
- Embezzling taxpayers’ money by supporting bullfighting activities.
- Inciting young people to commit acts of cruelty to animals.
- Tolerating and funding bullfighting schools which encourage children and adolescents
to forget compassion and mercy, and which teach them violence, betrayal and cruelty.
- Showing disregard for human dignity by encouraging the public to delight in the sight
of animals being put to death.
1

Mr. Chairman,
Ladies and Gentlemen, members of the International Court of Justice.
This is an important and solemn day. Leaders of European countries in which bullfighting is
practised will be tried, in front of you.
They will be tried for the despicable acts that they promote, defend and publicise without
showing the slightest sign of guilt, regret, remorse, or any empathy with humans or animals,
and without acknowledging that mocking, ridiculing, terrorising, stabbing, attacking,
impaling, torturing and slaughtering an animal causes suffering to that animal.
Today, public opinion intends to denounce a practice that it condemns, reproves of and
rejects, and a practice that it wants to see banned because it is intolerable.
No, society is not over-sensitive, it is right!
No, society is not foolish, it is proud!
No, society is not partisan, it is universal!
Right, proud and universal today in rejecting, by a large majority, the continuation of a
decadent tradition, a tradition which delights in animal suffering, a tradition which is no
longer just a tradition.
When man understands that life and respect are supreme, and that there are no exceptions,
When man understands that he must help and protect those around him,
When man understands that there is no such thing as degrees of mistreatment,
When man considers killing for pleasure and self-centredness unacceptable,
When man chooses creation over destruction.......
Then we should listen to him!
Let’s listen to all those brave people who have taken on this difficult battle, one which has
gathered together a huge number of supporters for a just cause. This cause is to end the killing
of animals.
Let’s listen to those who want to save thousands of bulls from slow agony, an agony masked
by the music and clamour of a handful of avid spectators of a degrading spectacle.
The revolution has started, and European moral values are changing. More and more people
including poets, singers, politicians, actors, religious figures and community workers are
saying “stop!”, “enough!”, “down with bullfighting.” The victory of animal rights over man’s
lowest instincts is near, tangible, and achievable, in order to leave our children and
grandchildren with a society where death is not made a spectacle of, a society that does not
delight in the depravity of a few, a society which has abolished bullfighting, an increasingly
isolated practice. What right do our European leaders have to give moral lessons to other
countries, when they allow outdated and shameful practices to continue on their own soil?
Bullfighting is violent and sick, and has continued to show its true face: one of an appalling
spectacle in every regard. We have waited a long time for the large-scale European and
worldwide mobilisation which is today established, organised and moderate. We are moving
forward and nothing will stop us.
2

In reality we shouldn’t insist too much on changes, as the fate of the poor fighting bulls hangs
on the conscience of the nation.
Human society and culture change over time. Certain social and cultural practices that were
acceptable in the past are now contrary to the values of our modern 21st century European
society. When a human being or animal is put in danger, tradition should not stand in the way
of a ban on this practice.
Over the last 100 years, our knowledge of animals’ psychological and physical well-being has
considerably improved. The way in which bulls are treated during bullfights goes against the
values of animal well-being championed by any modern society. We now know that bulls,
like all other mammals, are animals capable of feeling pain and suffering. The argument that
bulls are combative by nature, and that they like to be tortured and killed in an arena defies all
reason.
All the statistics show a clear rise in the opposition to bullfighting in all the European
countries where it is practised. Young people in particular show very little interest for this
cruel pastime. If we want to teach future generations – our children – to respect the
environment and animals, a change in the relationship between human beings and animals is
inevitable. Men and bulls can coexist peacefully.
The progress of the anti-bullfighting movement not only signifies the approaching end of the
intolerable mistreatment of animals, but also embodies both rehabilitation and reparation.
In the future we should not stand still; we need to adapt and innovate.
Bullfighting is only practised in 9 countries. It is banned in Argentina, Canada, Cuba,
Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Even
within countries where bullfighting is practised, certain regions have abolished it; amongst
them the Canary Islands in Spain, and most of the French regions (nearly 90% of French
territory).
All the surveys carried out show that the vast majority of Spanish and French people are not
interested in bullfighting. 49 Spanish and French towns and cities have declared themselves to
be anti-bullfighting. This is testament to the increasing unpopularity of the practice. The truth
is the supporters of bullfighting are in a minority which is reducing in number every year.
Does bullfighting have a place today in our so-called European, Western, civilised and
modern society?
Even if bullfighting is considered part of our traditional or cultural heritage, nothing can
justify inflicting cruelty on animals. Cruelty is still cruelty, no matter where in the world it
takes place. Cruelty to animals has no place in a modern society.
At a time when everybody has agreed to acknowledge the place of animals, the necessity of
protecting them, and their right not to be victims of mistreatment and acts of cruelty, how can
we accept such an sanction, such an exemption, giving such a free hand to bullfighting and
the trail of brutality and depravity it leaves?
Society, men, women and children, must be spared from the continuation of a tradition that is
as backwards as it is outdated.
“On n’arrête pas une idée dont le temps est venu” (“You can’t stop an idea whose time has
come”)...These words by Victor Hugo sum up perfectly why we are all here today.
Caroline LANTY
3