COMITE CARCASSONNAIS POUR L'ABOLITION DES CORRIDAS C.C.A.C

Contact : C C A C BP en cours Contrelacorrida@aol.com

headed by Denis Boulbès

The programme of the CCAC

Request of audience with the Préfet

Attn : Monsieur Philippe Chevrier, Mairie d'Azille

The Comité Carcassonne received in audience by the cabinet of the préfet of the Aude (French Department).

2006

The programme of the CCAC (Comité carcassonnais pour l'abolition des corridas) to meet with the main political and civil personnalities of the Département is going on and is developping in a remarkable listening and understanding atmosphere, and with interesting verbal exchanges… Except for three cases, of which we will publicly discuss when the time comes, there was no refusal of dialogue. We just asked for a meeting with Mr. the Mayor of Carcassonne. We draw again the attention of Mr. the Préfet de l'Aude. Our request is simple, and aligned on what is already in force in Catalunia: forbidding the access of children to the arenas. One has to remind that showing real wounded animals, blood and actual killing of living beings are not like simulated or theatre shows : the swords are not wooden ones, and the victims do not get back on their legs for the applause. Humiliation, exhaustment, howling, blood, and the death, every 20 minutes in the afternoon, of one of the 6 young bulls or adult bulls, developed herbivorous animals with a sensitivity to physical and psychical pain, whose only crime was to be born black and with horns, to give their share of shamely pleasure to spectators. French Law, condemns everywhere else all acts of cruelty against animals, and protects youngsters from being exposed to this perversion by which some try to turn victims into culprits of their own agony. The very artificial exception that allow local practices, and in particular in Carcassonne, cannot be used to breach National Law protecting children. The Responsible Denis Boulbès Request of audience with the Préfet. Mister Préfet, We have the honour of reiterating our request for an audience, already submitted on January 15th. For 4 years, many shows involving bulls -although without killing- are getting more and more frequent in our Department during local entertainment days ("fêtes foraines"), that become come and more identical to "ferias" with bars becoming bodegas and bands turned into spanish "bandas" ; theses ferias, if they do not directly include corridas can be the Trojan Horse of the implementation of these practices. This approach is not necessarily deliberate from the organisers, but the active presence and the support of the so-called Cercle taurin carcassonnais (Carcassonne Bull-Fighting Club) or other Clubs dedicated to corridas reveal precise intentions. They ackowledged that they try to give credit and justification to a so-called bull-fighting tradition in the Aude Department, so as to fill the "empty space" existing between the South-East and the South-West Regions of France, in particular in Haute-Garonne and now in Ariège, and in all the PACA region. The Cercle taurin carcassonnais also tries to give some consistance to their false arguments with which they won their juridical litigations in favour of the reintroduction of corridas in Carcassonne, - for instance the alledged existence de 650 local members of their Cercle (a figure which was never justified or proven) whereas they only have less than 40 people attending their "Assemblées Générales", including external guests... The providers of bulls for these "games" are the same as the one who provide bulls for the animal torture sessions called corridas. The Spanish market, whilst corridas have disappeared in Catalunia, and is weakening in other provinces (Communautés Autonomes) means that they have to find new clients... This year again, in Carcassonne, 18 bulls falsely called "novillos", will be "fought" (the word used for non-professionals), which means put in a situation where they have to fight for their lives, and actually wounded, tortured and killed with swords according to the cruel procedure established by the specialists in animal torture. One has to remind that showing real wounded animals, blood and actual killing of living being is not like simulated or theatre shows : the swords are not wooden ones, and the victim do not get back on it legs for the appmause. Humiliation, exhaustment, howling, blood, and the death, every 20 minutes in the afternoon, of one of the 6 young bulls or adult bulls, developed herbivorous animals with a sensitivity to physical and psychical pain, whose only crime was to be born black and with horns, to give their share of shamely pleasure to spectators. French Law condemns all act of cruelty against animals everywhere else in the country, and protects youngsters from being exposed to this perversion by which some turn victims into culprits of their own agony. If we cannot, for now, prevent what is against our understanding of justice, progress and responsability toward the respect of life and/or of the ways to put an end to it, we are in conscience feeling indignated that these scenes are still freely authorised for minors. We therefore wish that at your initiative, protection mesaures should be taken. Hoping that we will be heard, and that we will receive your agreement for this new request for audience, we remain, Mr Préfét at your disposition. Please accept our respectful regards. For the CCAC, the responsible Denis BOULBES attn : Monsieur Philippe Chevrier Mairie d'Azille Avenue du 19 mars F-11700 AZILLE In reply to: Thanks Agde, July 8th, 2005 Dear Sir : First of all I must deeply apologize for answering late. And I would like to thank you for granting us your attention by taking the time to answer our letter of April 12th. Please believe that we acknowledge the fact that the Feria of Azille was granted only on the explicit condition not a single drop of blood be shed during the games which take place at the Feria of Azille and that no instrument aiming at sticking be used. If we still wished to let you know of our worries, it is because we are well aware of the methods used by Spanish corrida-promoters. First we are shown games said to be harmless which quite soon become shows from [so-called (Spanish)] corrida "schools", followed by "becerradas", then "novilladas", then so-called formal corridas. It is not either necessary for a school of this kind to be based in the city where the corrida games take place as the "students" of the seven currently officially known schools in France keep touring various ferias with sevillanas or flamenco, exhibitions of photographs or paintings in the background which highlight the corrida very favourably. Thus it is not a local association which we view quite critically but indeed certain festivities (which cause undeniable distress to the bulls and horses) which have currently become almost unavoidable in the southern part of France. And we do not believe to be unreasonable because we are making a preventive request. As to the tolerance called for, we do not think it to be applicable to barbarian acts. I would very much like to express our gratefulness to you once more for having reassured us. With kind regards b.o. F.L.A.C The President Josyane QUERELLE-RIQUIER The Comité Carcassonne received in audience by the cabinet of the préfet of the Aude (French Department). Excellent and long audience. We have presented our arguments about forbidding the access of non-accompanied children to arenas, or at least the obligation of a clear information. We alerted the Préfet on the fact that teenagers and children participate in the "bolsin" (hurting and killing animals). We also demanded that strict analysis be performed after the death of bulls, and before they cut the ears and tail of the animal. In spite of the warm welcome, we have no illusions, but this visit, that we had announced in the Press, and that had been postponed once, is a step forward for us. Denis Boulbès 2005