June was a month in which many interesting developments occurred and successes were made. Below, you will find a number of news items in a row:

-  On Saturday 11 June, CAS International attended a protest in Madrid together with Spanish sister organisation Equanimal. With Equanimal we have initiated a summer campagne (running from May to August) in which we protest against the declaration of bullfighting as cultural heritage in the province of Madrid.

Protest CAS International and Equanimal in Madrid © Equanimal

-   On 12 June, an interesting article was published in the Spanish newspaper Público which presented facts which signify that the bullfighting industry is losing more and more ground. In the past 3 years, 34,25% less bullfights have been organised, a decrease from 2,622 (2007) to 1,724 (2010) bullfights; this is also the lowest number of the last 10 years (this information comes from the Spanish Ministry of the Interior). In 2010, 9,299 bulls, of which 43% had reached adulthood, were killed in bullfights. These figures are based on bullfighting only and are including the number of killed bulls during other events featuring bulls.

-    This decrease cannot only be blamed to the economical crisis, but also to a growing indifference towards bullfighting: since 2007 the number of people watching bullfighting related pogrammes on national television has declined by 400,000, for regional broadcastors it has decreased by 200,000 people. Aside from this, according to recent results from polls, 67% of the inhabitants of Madrid is against subsidies for bullfighting.

-   The Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez has admitted on television that he does not like bullfighting nor other manifestations of animal maltreatment. He is not willing to let bullfights be organised in the capital of Caracas and it is his opinion that the old bullfighting arena (Nuevo Circo) may be continued to be used as a location to organise cultural activities which do not involve animal suffering.

Watch the video in which Hugo Chaves expresses himself against bullfighting here (available only in Spanish).

Nuevo Circo (bullfighting arena) is no longer used for staging bullfights © CAS International

-   A short time ago we have initiated an action to prevent the Glasonbury Festival to organise a fake-bullfight with a Portuguese bullfighter. We have received an enormous amount of protests against this. And we have good news! Thanks to massive protests and the actions of several sister organisations we have managed to accomplish that the organisors of the Glastonbury Festival renunciate the fake-bullfight. Michael Eavis, representative of the Glastonbury Festival, has expressed himself against bullfighting: "We would like to state very clearly that Glastonbury Festival does NOT condone bullfighting - we are OPPOSED to bullfighting. Our reputation of 41 years speaks volumes about respect and sanctity of all life on this planet." CAS International would like to express its gratitude to everyone who supported us in this action!

-   The governor of the province Junin (Perú), Jesús Chipana, has decided to no longer extend permits for bullfights during the upcoming feasts in July. Peruvian sister organisations are using this as a starting point to make this a permanent prohibition. If this prohibition is reached, Junin would be the first province of Perú to declare itself against bullfighting. We hope to bring you godo news about Junin soon.

-   The mayor of Santa Marta (Colombia), Diaz Granados, has also decided not to give permits for corralejas (bullfights with several bulls at the same time) during the upcoming feasts in this community. This was only pronounced three days before the actual feast. The bullfighting industry speaks of enormously high financial losses.

- In the state of Zacatecas, in Mexico, member of the state authorities Xerardo Ramirez Muñoz has commenced to make a law draft to ban bullfighting in this state. Other forms of animal maltreatment are included in this draft as well.

- Furthermore, we would like to express our gratitude to everyone who supported us in the e-mail protest action against the visit of the Spanish Prince Felipe to a benefit bullfight. Prince royal Felipe actually did attend the bullfight. However, the Spanish Royal House has received hundreds of protest mails from the Netherlands as well as from foreign countries. The statement has been made!

Of course, keep an eye on our website for more news, protest actions, etc.