LATEST NEWS Select from list below - click on items for more
details
14th
March 2008 - Protest against the cruelty of the
'National' and horse racing in general. A demonstration will take
place on Thursday 3rd April 2008 at 12 am opposite the main entrance to
the Aintree Racecourse on the A59. Please join us!
23rd February 2008 - FAACE
asks for bullfighting exhibition in the European
Parliament to be banned
1st October 2007 - Vicki's biography "Life
on the line - the heroic story of Vicki Moore" published
12th July 2007 - FAACE
writes to David and Victoria Beckham begging them not to attend a rodeo
(press release).
09th May 2007
- Good
News: Copenhagen rodeo is cancelled !!!
19th February 2007
- FAACE
initiates international campaign against Copenhagen rodeo
23th January 2007 - FAACE
organised a protest against the cruelty of the 'Grand National'
and horse racing in general.
January 2007 - FAACE
supports EU-campaign to ban bullfighting
25th June 2006 - FAACE
joins campaign against the rodeo
in Cologne, Germany
19th June 2006 - FAACE
meets
with members of the European Commission to put the case against rodeo.
17th May 2006 - FAACE
makespresentation on
rodeo in the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
May 2006 - Campaign against the rodeo in the Mallorca bullring
completed successfully. The rodeo was cancelled!!!
27th February 2006 - FAACE
has joined forces with Animal Aid to protest against the cruelty
of the 'National' and horse racing in general. A demonstration will take
place on Thursday 6th April 2006 at 12 am opposite the main entrance to
the Aintree Racecourse on the A59.
3rd
January 2006 -FAACE
has joined forces with the Irish Campaign Against Blood Sports
(ICABS) and German organisation animal 2ooo, to expose hare
coursing tourism to Ireland - read
more
We are proud to a announce that a book on Vicki's
life and work has been published. It would make a wonderful present.
Life on the Line - The heroic story of Vicki Moore By Matilda Mench -
published by The Bluecoat Press
It can be ordered
online or from any bookshop ISBN: 1 904438 57 1 Price £7.99.
Synopsis:
The concept of heroism is not always valued in today's cynical world,
but it exists nonetheless and never more so than in the animal rights
campaigner, Vicki Moore. In her tragically short life, Vicki, in partnership
with her equally committed husband, Tony Moore, single-mindedly set about
eliminating animal cruelty wherever she found it. Whether filming in the
midst of an angry crowd in one of Spain's notorious blood fiestas, or
protesting against hare-coursers in this country, she would always put
her own safety last and the animals' welfare first. This courageous attitude
frequently exposed her to grave danger, either from the perpetrators and
spectators, angry at her interference, or from the animals themselves,
who, enraged by the agonies to which they were being subjected, were unable
to distinguish friend from foe.
And so it was that on 25 June 1995, she was gored repeatedly by a full-grown
bull called Argentino. The frenzied attack, in which she was tossed about
like a rag doll, left her broken … and bleeding … and near to death …
Yes, Vicki Moore was a heroine, by any definition, and this book stands
as a
lasting testament to her life and work. See: www.lifeontheline.info
The "Grand National"
Once
again FAACE and Animal Aid protested against the cruelty of the 'National'
and horse racing in general.
The demonstration took place at 12 am on Grand National day, 12th April
2007, opposite the main entrance to the Aintree Racecourse on the A59.
There were twenty of us at the demonstration that was peaceful, but got
the message over.
We wanted the race goers and those who bet on the results of horse races
to give a thought to the hundreds of horses that die every year for their
pleasure.
Please join us in 2008!
Great
News - Barcelona bullring to close down
From 2008 onwards
there will be no more bullfights in Barcelona.
The company managing
the 93-year-old Monumental bullring will close it over financial losses
of more than 24,000 euros (£16,100) per bullfight.
The reason for this
loss is very much connected to the pressure put upon the bullfight by
the animal rights organisations (ourselves included) and the general public.
Since 1989 when Tossa
de Mar declared itself anti bullfighting, more than 20 Catalan municipalities
have followed suit, often closing their bullrings.
The Barcelona city
council adopted a motion expressing its opposition to bullfights in 2004.
Deputy Mayor of Barcelona,
Jordi Portabella, wants to convert the bullring into an open-air market.
Demonstration
against the last Waterloo Cup 2005
The last Waterloo
Cup hare coursing took place at Altcar near Southport from the 14th to
the 16th of February 2005. The demonstration against this appalling event
took place on Valentines Day Monday the 14th. Once again it was organised
and led by FAACE.
Planned
demonstration against the Waterloo Cup 2005
The organising committee
of The Waterloo Cup at Altcar, Merseyside, are bringing forward the date
of this contentious event to the 14th/15th/16th of February 2005, to squeeze
in one last "three day killing event".
This might be seen
by some, as a 'Declaration of War' on those who support the coming ban.
The ban on hare coursing
comes into effect on the 18th of February and the Waterloo Cup was in
the coursers 'Calendar of events' to start on the 22nd.
The coursers will
be out in force for the last Waterloo Cup. The Countryside Alliance is
saying the end of hare coursing is only a "temporary ban". It
is important that a large number on our side are there to prove them wrong.
Feelings will be running
high on both sides, the coursers annoyed that their 'sport' is being taken
away from them and the anti's that it is only taking place by the juggling'
of dates.
It is an irony that
the coursers have chosen St Valentine's Day for their massacre of the
hares.
A number of outraged
local people have already been in touch with us saying that they will
demonstrate against this cruel event.
The demonstration
against the last Waterloo Cup will take place on Monday the 14th of February
2005.
We meet on The Causeway,
Altcar, at 10.00am to move off at 10.30am.
FAACE has coordinated
the demonstration against the hare coursing at the Waterloo Cup at Altcar
since the late 1980s and we will be there this time.
Barcelona
declares itself an anti-bullfighting city.
On the 6th
of April 2004 the Barcelona City Council voted to make itself an anti
bullfighting city. 21 for 15 against and 2 abstentions carried this motion.
This is a
very historic event and a step on the way to getting rid this blot on
the landscape of Spain and the rest of the world.
Unfortunately
this can only be a moral condemnation of the bullfight. Bullfighting will
continue in Barcelona for the time being, as the city council does not
have the legal competence to carry out this ban.
It will take
an act of Parliament of Catalonia banning bullfights. Hopefully this will
only be a matter of time.
The
Waterloo Cup Anti Hare Coursing Demo
24th February 2004.
The
Waterloo cup takes place at Altcar on the 24th 25th and the 26th
of February 2004
This
year must surely be the last time that this barbaric event takes
place.
If
Tony Blair and senior members of the government had been sincere
in their intentions to rid us of hunting with dogs, legislation
would have been in place by now.
The
overwhelming vote at the third reading of The Hunting bill on the
10th of July 2003 in the House of Commons should have been enough.
The MPs voted by 317 to 145 for an outright ban.
A demonstration
will take place against the hare coursing at the Waterloo Cup.
We
meet at The Causeway. Turn off the Formby bypass at Tesco's, over
the bridge and about half a mile on the right. Gathering at 10.00
am and moving off at 10.30 am.
The Waterloo Cup Anti Hare Coursing Demo
25th February 2003.
A demonstration will take place against the hare
coursing at the Waterloo Cup.
Gathering at 10.00am and moving off at 10.30am
at The Causeway. Turn off the Formby bypass at Tesco’s, over the
bridge and about half a mile on the right.
The coursers and Countryside Alliance have said
they will be at Altcar in force, as a show of strength and solidarity.
They also intend to have “a parade of hounds to symbolise how
the hunting community will stand together”.
This is the last time for the Waterloo Cup. We
need to show the government that we mean business. There must
be no turning back; hare coursing has to go!
On Monday 18th March 2002, the House of Commons voted
for a ban on hunting with dogs. There were 386 votes for an outright
ban and 175 against, this was an overwhelming majority of 211 for
a ban.
On Tuesday 19th March 2002, the House of Lords voted
in favour of preserving hunting in a new regulated form. There were
366 in favour of keeping the new regulated form of hunting and 59
against, a majority of 307.
On Thursday 21st March 2002, Alun Michael, the Rural
Affairs Minister, announced that a new Bill to ban hunting would
be introduced in the autumn, which will become law by the spring
of 2004.
There is to be a consultation period of six months.
By outlawing practices that "involve unnecessary suffering",
hare coursing, stag hunting and most foxhunting, will be banned.
The hunting that would be left, and if it were agreed upon, would
be in a few areas where the "alternatives to killing foxes
by hunting would be more cruel".
Mr. Michael promised, about the possibility of the
Bill being blocked by the House of Lords, "If that process
is frustrated and the Bill rejected, we would reintroduce the Bill
as quickly as possible to this House." If that happens a complete
ban would be forced through under the Parliamentary Act.
Many MPs feel that if any form of hunting were
allowed to continue, for whatever reason, it would be a betrayal
of the cause of animal protection.
On the first day of the annual "Waterloo Cup"
hare coursing event at Altcar, near Formby, Merseyside, demonstrators,
led by Tony Moore of FAACE, marched
to the coursing field.
Despite the early morning storms and the traffic
disruption caused, over 150 protestors joined the demonstration
in a silent display of solidarity against this cruel event.
The annual "Waterloo Cup" hare coursing
event takes place at Altcar, near Formby, Merseyside 26th/28th February,
2002.
The demonstration against this event will meet on
the Causeway, Altcar from 10am to move off in procession to the
coursing fields at 10.30am.
Please come if you can! Your presence could make
the difference!
It is especially important to highlight this
issue now, and put pressure on the government to fulfil their pledge,
to allow a free vote on a bill to stop hunting with dogs.
A bill to ban hunting with dogs, the Protection
of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Bill, was passed in the Scottish Parliament
by a vote of 83 to 36. The bill will take several weeks to receive
the Royal Assent. It will effectively outlaw foxhunting, fox baiting,
stag hunting and hare coursing. It carries a penalty of heavy fines
or a six months prison term. They also opted not to provide compensation
to people who lose their jobs or businesses as a result to the ban.
On Thursday 25th October the leader of the House
of Commons, Robin Cook MP, hinted that, in the wake of 11th September,
there was a possibility that the long awaited ban on hunting with
dogs might be delayed.
He suggested that new anti-terror laws, along with
bills on asylum, Railtrack and foot-and-mouth were "pressures"
on MP's time that "may have consequences".
This created a big reaction in the animal rights
groups.
Former Minister Tony Banks MP urged the Government
to "get some spine" and said that Robin Cook's hints showed
a "lack of political will" among senior ministers.
Mr Banks also said, "We don't have to crawl
over the whole damned thing again, we have discussed this ad nauseum
in the House of Commons...we have a lot of time at our disposal
in this place."
As an associate member of The Parliamentary Group
for Animal Welfare, Tony Moore of FAACE
attended a reception at the House of Commons where he met large
number of MPs sympathetic to the welfare of animals, including Government
Minister the Rt. Hon Elliot Morely MP and Tony Banks MP.
The general view expressed was that, with the pledge
in the manifesto and the very large majority against hunting, the
bill to ban 'Hunting with Dogs' would be passed before the end of
this parliament's lifetime.
"It was good to be in Parliament," said
Tony Moore,"speaking with the politicians and finding that
their views are so much in sympathy with the majority of the people
of this country, who wish to see an end to hunting with dogs."
On Tuesday the 30th October Tony Banks tabled the
following Early Day Motion in the House of Commons.
EDM 323: That
this House congratulates the Scottish Parliament on the passage
of the first stage of the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland)
Bill; looks forward to taking the earliest possible opportunity
to re-affirm it's stand on the abolition of hunting; and reminds
Her Majesty's Government of the overwhelming support for the abolition
in the House and the high expectation amongst the electorate that
the Government will honour the manifesto pledge to enable Parliament
to reach a conclusion on this issue in respect of England and Wales.
There were 211 signatories. A very high number for
an Early Day Motion.
N.B. An Early Day Motion, or
EDM, is the term used to describe notices of motions given by Members
that are not generally expected to be debated.
Effectively, the tabling of an
EDM is a device to draw attention to an issue, and to elicit support
for it by the means of inviting other Members to add their signatures
to the motion.
MSPs (Members of the Scottish Parliament) voted by 84 votes to 34
to allow the Protection of Wild Mammals Bill (Scotland) to move
on to the committee stage.
It is hoped that the committee will be formed quickly,
where the Bill will be gone through line by line to iron out any
problems.
It is expected to produce a Bill that will ban mounted
hunting, hare coursing and various forms of fox baiting (terrier
men etc.).
The final vote could take place either before the
Christmas recess 2001 or early spring 2002.
We are optimistic that another substantial majority
will pass the bill. This would then become law approximately two
months later.
COMMENT
If this Bill becomes law in Scotland it will be a
spur to the parliament in Westminster, where there is a large group
of Backbench MPs intent on bringing in a similar Bill, in the UK.
Scotland is not an island and the border is just
a line on a map. It is inconceivable that a fox in one field will
be safe whilst in the next field he can be legally hunted to death.
The Queen's Speech is a statement of government policy
for the forthcoming session.
In the Queen's Speech, at the opening of Parliament
on the 19th June 2001, were the words:
"My government will enable a free vote to take
place on the future of hunting with dogs."
'Hunting with dogs' is a covering term for hare coursing,
fox hunting, stag hunting etc.
On Thursday 20th June 2001. Tony Banks MP tabled
the following Early Day Motion, or EDM [for definition see below]
EDM 21: That this House welcomes
the announcement in the Gracious Speech that the Government will
be allowing for a further free vote on hunting: looks forward to
an early introduction of an enabling bill: and expresses it's continued
determination to secure a total ban on hunting wild mammals with
dogs in the next 12 months.
This was exceptionally well supported with 178 Signatures.
It gave an indication of the strength of feeling and sense of urgency
there is in the House of Commons against the hunting of wild mammals
with dogs.
COMMENT
The attempt to stop hunting with dogs is not a vindictive
act against the countryside; it is an attempt to stop an overt,
public display of animal cruelty.
Hunting with dogs is a decadent, degrading and cruel
pastime that should have been banished to the history books years
ago.
The Countryside Alliance tries to enlarge it's constituency
for hunting, by including all the problems of the countryside under
the umbrella of fox hunting, when the majority of people living
in the countryside want hunting with dogs banned.
The hunters are now feeling hunted!
In the past when the hunters thought that there was
no chance that a bill against hunting would ever be passed they
laughed at us. Now that the time for a ban is imminent their defence
seems to be that it's not an important enough issue to be discussed.
N.B. An Early Day Motion, or
EDM, is the term used to describe notices of motions given by Members
that are not generally expected to be debated.
Effectively, the tabling of
an EDM is a device to draw attention to an issue, and to elicit
support for it by the means of inviting other Members to add their
signatures to the motion.
While the majority of EDMs are
never considered for debate, the group of EDMs known as 'prayers'
may be debated. Prayers are motions to annul or revoke Statutory
Instruments, and include the form of words 'that an Humble Address
be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the [title of legislation],
a copy of which was laid before this House on [date], be annulled.'
The firebull fiesta of Medinaceli, Soria, Spain,
known as El Toro Jubilo has been classified as an "event not
permitted".
A fine of 50,000 pesetas (£200) has been imposed
on the Medinaceli Town Council, who sponsor this event.
Although the fine is small, for a village of this
size, its legal and moral value is of great significance, especially
as this is perhaps the earliest firebull fiesta.
This does not necessarily mean that this fiesta will
be cancelled, as they may defy the order and prefer to pay the fine,
but it is the beginning of the end.
In January 1999 FAACE
made a Video Presentation with a written report and photographs
to the European Parliament, Strasbourg, exposing the firebull of
Medinaceli.
The MEPs were shocked at the very explicit cruelty.
They took the decision there and then that they would take action.
It was a unanimous decision by M.E.P.s from most of the member states.
A Spanish M.E.P drafted the letter to be sent on
behalf of Intergroup. This document was sent to the Presidents of
the Autonomous Communities of Castilla y Leon, in whose jurisdiction,
Medinaceli lies, and the Community of Valencia, which is the centre
for firebull fiestas.
The purpose of the document was to state horror at
the fire bull activities and to demand the cessation of licences
being issued to Medinaceli to carry out the fire bull festivity
and all other fire bull fiestas. Questions were also asked of the
Commission.
FAACE had already
written to The Spanish Ministry of the Interior requesting action
be taken.
With all the pressure including from inside Spain
we seem to have scored a small victory.
Due to the recent outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease
the annual hare coursing event at Altcar, Merseyside, due to start
on Tuesday the 27th February, was cancelled.
The organisers had to be shamed into taking this
decision.
On Thursday morningFAACEmade a statement that we would not hold a demonstration this
year because of the risk off spreading infection. As we said: "foot-and-mouth
is an acute and very contagious viral disease." Participants
would be travelling from around the UK and Ireland, which could
create "A well of infection."
As late as Thurs 22nd in the afternoon a spokeswoman
for the Waterloo Cup said: "We align ourselves more closely
with racing than we do with hunting because we limit ourselves to
a confined area but at the moment we see no reason why the Waterloo
Cup cannot go ahead.
"If the Jockey Club decides to temporarily stop
racing then we will go along with that. If they don't, then we will
continue as planned."
A spokesman for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries
and Food said: "It is a matter for the organisers as it is
not an infected area ... but if there a situation where we have
to enforce a ban, we will do so."
THE ORGANISERS WENT RIGHT TO THE WIRE WITH THEIR
DECISION
It was not until Friday afternoon when the government
stopped the movement of livestock and sporting events were stopped
that the Waterloo Cup was called off.
Once
again FAACE and Animal Aid protested against the cruelty of the 'National'
and horse racing in general.
