Spanish animal rights group EquAnimal takes the prize for the most epic protest for the International Day of Action Against the Canadian Seal Hunt with about 100 activists stripping nude for the cause.
The sprawling mass of nude painted-red bodies seemed to cause quite a stir in Madrid yesterday. While the effectiveness of nude protests is always arguable, the Spanish media has covered the story extensively today, with some outlets even including footage of seal hunting along with their coverage of the protest.
The action seemed to be less ridiculous than the typical nude protest that we’re used to in America; instead of a couple model-thin women, EquAnimal had hundreds of men and women of all shapes and sizes participating.
If you want to help out with the day of action, it’s not too late (and no nudity is required). Four of the five ways to participate are still easy to do after the date.
Some PG-13 Photos:
Newscasts (contain graphic violence and nudity):
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/v/ExklJaNepNQ&hl=en&fs=1]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/v/ILxqL8x6-IM&hl=en&fs=1]
Photos courtesy of Periódico La Democracia.
THAT IS SO NASTY
As a Canadian, I appreciate what people are doing around the world to protest this barbaric activity that, to my shame, some of my fellow Canadians persist in carrying out. And even more shameful, that our federal government persists in subsidying by allowing the hunters to continue this work and then file for employment insurance funding at other times of the year. We are not the only country that has citizens and governments doing bad things but when we present outselves as “do-gooders” it’s appalling.
great post and so great to see this protest. As a Canadian who lives in shame over many of our utterly outdated ways on animals I am reminded of JM Coetzee’s words
“One might as well argue that because Canada used to hang convicted murderers by the neck until they were dead the tradition should not be allowed to disappear. Sealing in Canada is not a tradition, it is just an unenlightened, outdated practice.”
J.M. Coetzee, Interview from March 2008
It’s time to step things up against Canada’s lack of humane decency.
Please check out my blog post and really truly start a boycott of this country and make it known everywhere and especially to the media. Canadians have counted on the fact that no one bothers to pay attention to them.. we need to let Canadians know the world has their number
http://tippingpointblog.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/what-canadians-call-humane/
KYDOS TO SPAIN!! AMAZING JOBS FOLKS-REAL NOISE 4 THE VOICELESS
Joan, please don’t talk nonsense! How can you write about “sustainable use of a natural resource” ? It’s a horrific slaughter of puppies clubbed to death without any reason!!! The Canadian Economy gains nothing, the opposite! Before writing please get some information! And since I’m an AR activist I’m not hypocritical, I fight for the right of every animal to LIVE! Animals are not OURS, we can’t use them, they are not made for us. Seal hunters are violent, you don’t have a heart if you are able to kill that way, sooner or later they use their violence against humans
Go Vegan Joan, you will be a better person!
Kudos to them! Great protest!! Thank you for sharing.
Joan,
Before you make an accusation of hypocrisy, you might want to click a couple of the links in the story. This same animal rights group frequently runs out into bullfighting rings, risking their own safety and freedom to protest the “sport.”
Here’s one video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXF9fMzkOy8&eurl=http://www.equanimal.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=63&Itemid=10
And who says they’re protesting the “sustainability” of the hunt? They’re protesting the killing of thousands of animals for nothing but their furs. Don’t kid yourself into thinking these hunts are for natives in “remote coastal communities” — the hunt only exists because there are people buying the furs.
The seals aren’t being killed for food. They’re being killed to sell their furs, and eight seals makes one coat. “Sustainable” or not, it’s unnecessary.
-Alex
Shouldn’t those hypocrites be protesting Spanish bullfights?
Canadian seal hunt = sustainable use of a natural resource by people living in remote coastal communities.
Spanish bullfights = slow torture and killing of an animal for the entertainment of a crowd of Spaniards.