Corrida Corrida

Corrida

The situation

Bullfighting: torture in the name of tradition

Surrounded by fences, the bulls have no way out. For everyone who enters the arena, death is at the end of the tunnel: it comes after a long ordeal, under the shouts of the crowd. This suffering, acclaimed, applauded, staged and shown to families, is nothing but violence. Bullfighting is a deception disguised as art.
One Voice is fighting against the perpetuation of bullfighting in all its forms. Our investigations, relayed by the media, enable us to reveal its true face to the public: not that of a fight on equal terms, but that of brutality, lies and torture.

Our fight

Why are we fighting against the exploitation of bulls for entertainment?

Bulls, gentle and peaceful creatures

Bulls spontaneously shun conflict. Their nature is more peaceful than aggressive, and you have to push them to their limits to provoke their reactions. The bulls used in bullfighting have undergone a long selection process. This lucrative industry has thus obtained smaller animals, intended solely for show. Pushed into the arena, the bulls are attacked by the shouts of the crowd and the thunderous music, and weakened by the deep pokes. Far from their herd and their landmarks, their stress is unspeakable. Disorientated, they have no choice but to try and protect themselves.

Torturing a bull for pleasure, for fun, is much more than torturing an animal, it's torturing a conscience.
Victor Hugo

A three-act kill

As soon as they leave the toril, the bulls have to be out of breath with long runs. Then the picadors enter the scene. At the risk of their mounts, they drive spikes into their withers and slice the ligaments at the back of their necks to keep their foreheads down. Finally, into an already bruised withers, the bullfighter delivers the final blow, often repeating himself several times. If these sword blows are not effective, the disguised torturer will thrust a dagger into the spinal cord before cutting off the ears and tail.

Bullfighting, an outrageous exception to the law

“The act, whether publicly or not, of inflicting serious abuse or committing an act of cruelty on a domestic or tame animal, or one held in captivity, is punishable by three years’ imprisonment and a fine of 45,000 euros.

Article 521-1 – Criminal Code

Illegal and subsidised cruelty

These scenes of torture are accessible to even the youngest children. Children as young as 6 can attend. Although this cruelty is illegal, it is exempt in certain regions when bullfighting is part of a “continuous and uninterrupted” local tradition, and can benefit from subsidies from town councils looking for local entertainment and from the European Union for breeding farms. Bullfighting – bullfighting, but also Camargue and Landaise races – contributes to the trivialisation of brutality.

Bullfighting schools: learning violence

If children can attend bullfights, they can also take part in them. Specialised schools teach them how to kill, so they themselves become the perpetrators of the cruelty inflicted on the animals… Our investigations in bullfighting schools revealed that from the age of six, children are forced to martyr young calves.

Key figures

An alarming fact

1000
bulls tortured to death every year in France.
75 %
of French people are opposed to bullfighting, 79% of whom believe that bullfighting can no longer be considered a spectacle in this day and age.
8
countries still tolerate this practice: 5 in Latin America and three in Europe, including France.
I make a donation I make a donation I make a donation I make a donation I make a donation I make a donation I make a donation I make a donation I make a donation I make a donation

Our proposals

Our proposals to the French government

  • Ban the practice of bullfighting in France (remove the exception for the torture of animals that applies to bullfighting).
  • At the very least, bullfighting performances should be off-limits to minors under the age of 16.
  • Close bullfighting schools for children and ban novilladas.

History

The whole story of our fight against bullfighting

2018

One Voice supports and participates in the actions of its association partners to ban bullfighting exhibitions and advertisements that promote this cruel tradition, and raises awareness of what the bulls and cows go through in the ferias of the towns concerned, as well as the horses and the children who watch them. Finally, it provides information on the financial difficulties of bullfighting societies and the cancellation of bullfighting events.

2017

During the municipal election campaign, One Voice is calling for candidates to set an example when it comes to cruelty to animals, and is outraged by the former Torera's candidacy for Arles Town Hall.

July 2016

On 23 July 2016, One Voice took part in the united march organised by CRAC with Renaud in Mont-de-Marsan.

2015

A major victory for anti-corridas! Following legal action by CRAC and Droits des Animaux, bullfighting has been struck off France's list of intangible cultural heritage.

2013

One Voice is continuing its partnership with CRAC and increasing its support for its actions.

2012

One Voice's investigation into the "Graines de toreros" trophy reveals the horror of children being trained to slaughter young bulls in the ring.

2011

One Voice and its association partners are mobilising against the inclusion of bullfighting on the World Heritage List. They are forming a collective, "No to the French shame", and demonstrating together in Nîmes.

2011

The signed manifestos are handed to the Mayor of Nîmes

2010

One Voice launches Operation Sitting Bull with CRAC during a circle of silence in Nîmes. The manifesto "For Nîmes reconciled with the bull" was circulated. An alternative to bullfighting was found: a water festival linked to the town's history! 27 foreign associations joined us.

2010

The One Voice investigation report is presented to MEPs.

2009

One Voice is partnering CRAC in a major poster campaign in Marseille, creating controversy: the poster has been censored four times!

2009

One Voice, with its campaign partners the League Against Cruel Sports and CRAC, has commissioned a survey from IPSOS on the French and bullfighting. Only four out of ten French people are aware that these shows contribute to the trivialisation of violence among young people. We urgently need to inform them! On the other hand, almost half of them have never been to a bullfight and have no plans to do so...

2009

One Voice's investigation into the bullfighting world reveals cheating, manipulation of the public and exacerbated cruelty.

2007

One Voice is taking part in a major European event in Lisbon with its partner Animal.

2005

One Voice and the Alliance for the abolition of bullfighting actively support the bill proposed by MP Muriel Marland-Militello.

2003

One Voice is demonstrating in Carcassonne following the decision by the Montpellier Court of Appeal to authorise bullfighting there, thereby rejecting the arguments of its lawyer and the public prosecutor.

2002

Victory for One Voice and the Alliance pour la suppression des corridas! After four years of action, they have obtained a ban on bullfighting in Bourg-Madame in the Pyrénées Orientales, as well as in Toulouse during an appeal. However, the case was dismissed by the Carcassonne Regional Court, despite the advice of the public prosecutor, who called for a ban on bullfighting.

2002

One Voice is once again taking part in the major annual demonstration in Nîmes against bullfighting.

2002

Union for animals, a coalition of associations founded by One Voice and several partners, is calling for the repeal of the law that protects bullfighting practices from criminal prosecution. Before doing so, it is calling for a ban on bullfighting for under-16s.

2001

In Nîmes, One Voice is a partner in the major annual event organised by the Alliance pour la suppression des corridas.

2001

The planned fair at the Stade de France has been cancelled after One Voice and its associative partners mobilised.

2001

Two charity bullfights are cancelled in Toulouse thanks to an opposition campaign led by One Voice and the Alliance pour la suppression des corridas.

2001

France 3 interviews One Voice on the subject of bullfighting.

2000

One Voice is taking action against the Savès fair in Rieumes.

To mark the World Congress of Bullfighting Cities, One Voice/Talis is demonstrating in Nîmes with the Alliance for the Abolition of Bullfighting.

2000

One Voice/Talis and the Collectif contre les corridas de Fréjus march in a peaceful demonstration.

1999

One Voice/Talis is suing several organisers of a private bullfight. The trial, which was won at first instance, was lost on appeal in Nîmes after the intervention of the town's mayor, who is also president of the Union des villes taurines de France (Union of French Bullfighting Towns)... But the media coverage of the case helped to denounce the activities of the bullfighting lobby.

1999

The horse and bull fair planned for Marseille has been cancelled.

1999

One Voice/Talis is joining the Alliance for the Abolition of Bullfighting in its campaign to ban aficionado propaganda in schools.

1998

One Voice/Talis is joining forces with the WSPA against bullfighting during the football World Cup, with actions in France and the UK. A poster campaign is being run in the London Underground, and the poster in French and English is being projected onto the Arc de Triomphe, which is being transformed into a giant screen for the occasion! The event will be broadcast by Agence France Presse and on television channels around the world. The British Minister for Sport and Member of Parliament will be supporting our campaign by urging British tourists not to attend bullfights.

1998

A carnival bull is at the heart of a number of events in Alsace, winning over the public and the media alike.

1998

Thanks to One Voice/Talis' work with travel agencies, many tourists booking in a bullfighting town receive our leaflet!

1998

Tourists are made aware of this through leaflets and stickers in English, produced in collaboration with the WSPA, of which One Voice/Talis is a member.

1998

One Voice/Talis and several anti-corrida associations are mobilising and demonstrating in Marseille against plans to reintroduce bullfighting there.

1997

Because tourists help to perpetuate the practice, One Voice/Aequalis, CRAC and the Alliance for the Elimination of Bullfighting are inviting them to boycott bullfighting towns by means of a map of the south of France identifying the regions to be avoided.

1997

One Voice/Aequalis dénonce l'impact des spectacles taurins et de l'apprentissage de la tauromachie sur les enfants.

1997

An activist's infiltration of a private bullfight reveals the horror of amateur killings. One Voice/Aequalis is helping to distribute the video.

1997

Théodore Monod, patron of One Voice/Aequalis, demonstrating alongside him in Nîmes during the action organised by the Alliance for the abolition of bullfighting.

Our other battles

The situation
Our fight
Key figures
Our proposals
History
The situation
Our fight
Key figures
Our proposals
History
The situation
Our fight
Key figures
Our proposals
History