In Rome the rodeo with bull riding at the Festival del Mondo, animal rights activists: “Cancel the event, it is forbidden”

A rodeo with bull riding in Rome in violation of the municipal regulation on the protection of animals is scheduled as part of the ‘Festival of the World’, which will take place in the next few days at the Nuova Fiera di Roma. This was announced by the International Animal Protection Organization, which sent a request to the Capitol to cancel the event. In particular, the Oipa highlights how a “show” of this kind is in violation of article 16 of the Regulation which states: “any form of public or private show or entertainment carried out with or without profit is prohibited throughout the territory which contemplates, totally or partially, the use of animals, both domestic and wild species, the ban applies to fairs, animal shows, exhibitions, competitions, festivals, traveling events (..)”.

“With respect to subjects who contravene the provisions of the previous paragraphs of this article, in the case of forms of public entertainment or entertainment, the immediate and therefore definitive suspension of the activity is ordered, in addition to the application of the administrative sanction “.
“The Romans, and not only them, are protesting by sending emails to the mayor and the municipal guarantor for the protection and welfare of animals, Patrizia Prestipino”, explains the president of Oipa, Massimo Comparotto.

“We know that the latter has already taken action by inviting the offices in charge to guarantee compliance with the Regulation. We have sent a request to the mayor Roberto Gualtieri, to the councilor for the Environment, Sabrina Alfonsi, to the director Maria Teresa Orlando (Wellbeing animals), to the municipal police and to our zookeepers so that, also in coordination with the police, they verify that the legislation for the protection of animals is not violated”.

“The rodeo with bulls – underlines the Oipa – represents a manifestation of abuse and cruelty towards animals that is unacceptable from an ethical point of view. Bulls are sentient beings, capable of feeling pain and stress: subjecting them to situations of extreme tension and forcing them to participate in a show that puts their safety at risk is not only unfair, but also morally wrong.” Furthermore, such an initiative sends a negative message to society by normalizing the abuse of animals, in this case for entertainment purposes. These types of events fuel an insensitive and contemptuous attitude towards the living beings that share our planet. We hope that the organizers will cancel the event. There are many other forms of entertainment that do not require animal suffering and which can be just as engaging for audiences.

Even the Enpa (National Animal Protection Agency) intervened in the matter with a complaint against this ‘unworthy spectacle’ and a letter to the Municipality of Rome: ”A disgrace – Carla Rocchi, National President of Enpa, told Adnkronos – in addition to having immediately activated our legal office, we contacted the Municipality of Rome to understand how it was possible to approve an event of this type that takes us back a hundred years. Not since Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show had such proposals been seen in Rome. We remind you that Rome Capital has a Guarantor for the protection and welfare of animals, Patrizia Prestipino and a councilor with responsibilities for the Environment, Agriculture and Waste, Sabrina Alfonsi. We therefore continue to be confident in their prompt and decisive intervention, or that of the mayor himself to stop this terrible initiative.”

“We are absolutely stunned. Should we expect, next time, to import bullfighting from Spain? We hope that Rome Capital will take a step back from the rodeo and not become complicit in this ignoble exploitation of animals. It is fundamental – concludes Rocchi – that the Minister of Culture brings to the Council of Ministers the implementing decree of the Delegation Law on Entertainment No. 106 of 2022 which provides for the elimination of the use of animals in circuses and live shows, including traveling ones on the skin of animals”.

The animal guarantor Patrizia Prestipino: “It’s a shame to cancel”
“It is a clear violation of the municipal regulation which, even if 20 years old, is modern and always valid – Prestipino told Adnkronos -. And I spent the weekend writing to the relevant offices and to the mayor Gualtieri because this shameful and unworthy show be cancelled. I appealed to art. 16 of the municipal regulation, very effective and very clear, asking to cancel the event, which recalls the depths of Texas and Sarah Palin who killed animals with a rifle in her hand forbids it and among other things in Rome in recent years there have never been demonstrations of this kind: it’s a bad image.”

“For days, not the usual animal rights activists, but Roman citizens have flooded my inbox and also WhatsApp who have seen the posters for the city with a cowboy riding a bull and express their indignation at this event and ask for action to cancel it – continues Prestipino – we talk a lot about respect for the planet, the ecosystem, and we still exploit animals in this way? and entertainment and also to the police command who have control over compliance with the rules of the municipal regulation, in short to all the managers and directors so that this barbarism is cancelled”.

“The capital of Italy cannot afford to hold an event that damages its image and the ethical sensitivity of its citizens – concludes Prestipino – it is a shame, it is an event that goes against the culture of respect for animals that we have set ourselves as objective”.

v