Baring all against EU bullfighting cash

There has been a vivid demonstration outside the European Parliament building in Brussels by groups opposed to bullfighting.

Protestors from three animal rights groups joined forces to draw attention to their claim that 20-million euros of EU taxpayers money goes to fund the bullfighting industry every year.

Lauren Bowey from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said: “It’s the 21st century. We have a million ways to entertain ourselves, and torturing animals for entertainment is something that is so cruel it’s unbelievable that it still occurs. And it’s even more unbelievable that the European Parliament supports this industry.”

They daubed themselves in stage-blood and faked their own deaths, impaled with spears to drive home how strongly they feel that bullfighting is barbaric, and should not receive any public money.

Raul Romeva i Rueda, MEP the Greens said: “We are adapting one of the most important documents that has to do with the European Union policy: the budgets, money. So in that sense it is also important to remind, and that is what we are doing every year, that there (should be) no money invested and public money going to these kinds of fiesta. That’s something we can do.”

The protestors claim the money comes from EU agricultural subsidies, but it is difficult to pinpoint because farms which raise bulls for the ring are not identified specifically as such.

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