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| Europe |
| Activists strip to thongs to oppose bull run |
| 2005-07-06 |
| By Emma Ross-Thomas PAMPLONA, Spain (Reuters) - Hundreds of protesters, some wearing just thongs and plastic bull horns, marched through Pamplona Tuesday to protest against the centuries-old running of the bulls, Spain's best known fiesta. Plastic bull horns, huh? Wonder where they were worn. Each morning during the week-long San Fermin festival, six bulls are set loose on an 825-meter (yard) course through the city's cobbled streets leading to the bull ring where they face a bullfighter's sword in an evening fight. A Bugs Bunny Cartoon keeps running in my head. Hundreds of adrenalin and alcohol-fueled aficionados crowd the course to follow the tradition of running with the half ton beasts. There is not enough alcohol on the planet to get me to be chased by a bull. But protesters say tradition is not a justification. "It's wrong to kill and its certainly wrong to torture," said Stella of Wales's Cynwyl Elfed, a woman in her seventies wearing just knickers and strategically placed tape. "It is really sick to enjoy torture." I agree, it's wrong to kill the bulls and it's wrong to torture. PLEASE put your clothes back on! Tens of thousands of tourists, particularly the United States and Australia, come each year to the July 6-14 festival made famous by Ernest Hemingway's 1920s tale of passion and drinking "The Sun also Rises." Local authorities do not allow protesters to march naked, as they did once in 2002. This year many wore only their underwear, and many had slogans written across their buttocks in temporary tattoos and painted mottos on each other in body paint. What? No bullseyes? The protest's organizers -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) -- said 700 marched. Police said there were 500 to 600. In addition to being pains in the arse, PETA can't count. Australian veterinarian Andrew Knight, who came to Pamplona from Perth for the protest, wore just a thong and running shoes. Please, people, naked protesting is rather obscene to most of us. "Bullfighting is one of the last public festivals involving pure public cruelty in the world," the 34-year-old said. Banners in several languages called for bullfighting to be banned. When protesters reached the bull ring they called a minute of silence for the bulls which would die this week. Dozens of locals in Pamplona, a more conservative city than many parts of Spain, lined the route to see the march, some in support, others were against it."If I were in the police's position, I wouldn't allow it," Francisco, a 60 year old retired resident of Pamplona said. "What does she think she's doing?" he said, pointing to a nearly bare protester. "There are lots of small children about." "They are scarred for life." Not safe for work. |
| Posted by:Deacon Blues |
| #9 Just ick. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2005-07-06 23:47 |
| #8 A few years back I remember reading about Italian cops arresting ugly nudists on the beach for being eyesores... |
| Posted by: 3dc 2005-07-06 23:46 |
| #7 Wasn't Bull Run fought in 1862? |
| Posted by: Eric Jablow 2005-07-06 23:45 |
| #6 //It would have more "impact" if they lined up and wore numbers, then the crowd, by voice acclamation, would decide who strips. // nota bad ideer. |
| Posted by: muck4doo 2005-07-06 23:29 |
| #5 I hope the "tradition" of stripping down doesn't go... of course, as noted here recently, the ones who strip at these idiot shows are precisely the people we'd prefer not to see naked. It would have more "impact" if they lined up and wore numbers, then the crowd, by voice acclamation, would decide who strips. Then your stunts might actually be popular - unless ALL of you wanking asstards are as ugly as you are stupid. That would be a serious handicap for your "cause". Thank you for your attention. |
| Posted by: .com 2005-07-06 23:25 |
| #4 sum tradishens need to go. think clintonrectomees, stoneeng, an killin animals for entertaynment. |
| Posted by: muck4doo 2005-07-06 22:41 |
| #3 I raise cattle, when I'm not busy If you are in a position where you have to be chased by a bull (i.e. a stockyard or a corral), you have my sympathy. Been there, done that. OTOH, I do think that lethal bull fighting (with the skewers in the shoulders and the swords and all that) is barbaric in the extreme. I much prefer the non-lethal variety, or bull riding at the rodeo. |
| Posted by: N Guard 2005-07-06 18:34 |
| #2 It would be the right moment to release the bulls. Pity that thongs (and balls swinging) ttend to slow the runner |
| Posted by: JFM 2005-07-06 17:32 |
| #1 Release the |
| Posted by: Mr. Burns 2005-07-06 15:50 |