Excellent news from ANIMAL:
On Friday, February 27th 09, the Mayor of Viana do Castelo proved to be, once again, the most progressive and courageous politician in Portugal, by going against local traditions and facing the violent critique from an inflamed and seriously concerned bullfighting industry, now under heavy attack in Portugal and facing extremely tough opposition.
The Mayor of the Municipality of Viana do Castelo officially declared this city Portugal’s first anti-bullfighting city, as he had been urged to do in the context of ANIMAL’s campaign – to have the municipality establishing an official decision of not giving permission for bullfighting spectacles to take place in the city in public places and of not granting licences for them in all aspects which depend on the municipality – this is as far as municipalities can go, as, in Portugal, they hold no local legislative powers; which means that they cannot ban bullfighting activities, but can take steps systematically not to authorise them.
In making this historic decision – “the most popular measure of his mandates” – which brings Portugal into the group of bullfighting countries where many cities have already been declared anti-bullfighting cities by their municipalities, such as Spain, with 55 and France, 3 –, Mr. Moura said that this measure meets the profile of a healthy and environmentally-friendly city which Viana do Castelo holds. The Mayor further stated that respect for human rights, protection of the local architectural heritage and of environmental values, should be extended to the protection of animal rights, declaring that “the defence of animal rights is not compatible with accepting spectacles of animal torture, which cause unjustifiable suffering”.
Mr. Defensor Moura will be receiving the António Maria Pereira Prize of Animal Rights, established by ANIMAL, for being the leading animal rights figure of the country in 2008/2009.
ANIMAL has been educating, campaigning and lobbying for the end of bullfighting since 1994, and has been particularly active in working to establish Portugal’s first anti-bullfighting city since 2006.
Visit http://www.animal.org.pt
Seth – rescued by ANIMAL – and now very happy.