France: Petition against hunting opponents reaches 100’000 signatures
In this petition, the president of the National Hunting Federation, Willy Schraen, calls for a “parliamentary inquiry” into the workings of anti-hunting associations.
A petition launched on 15 February by the president of the militant hunters’ federation on the Senate platform, directed against anti-hunting activists, has gathered 100’000 signatures in less than six months.
A threshold that obliges the Senate to address the matter.
Directed at anti-hunting activists, Willy Schraen’s petition calls for, among other things, “a parliamentary inquiry” to shed light on the workings of associations that “openly oppose legal activities” and “the end of tax relief on donations” to these associations “tobe introduced”“.
I have no interest in regulation — we enjoy hunting. It is absolutely essential that the hunting world puts an end to these actions by extremists who believe they are above the law and attack the hunting world with complete impunity.
Willy Schraen
Former star actress Brigitte Bardot recently described hunters on her website as «despicable, cowardly subhumans» and «terrorists of the animal world» — citing the head of the French hunting federation as a prime example.
A mission on this topic already underway
The Senate may now decide, for example, to establish an oversight mission, to add a legislative proposal to the agenda, to hold a debate in a public session, and so on.
The Senate had already established a mission in November on the question of hunting safety, in response to another petition, submitted by the collective «Un jour un chasseur« (One Day, One Hunter) was founded following the death of a young man caused by a hobby hunter.
This collective demands hunt-free days and stricter safety regulations, particularly regarding alcohol, shooting near residential buildings, and weapons checks.
The joint oversight mission to improve hunting safety has already held numerous hearings, including with Willy Schraen and Mila Sanchez, co-founder of the collective «Un jour, un chasseur«.
Over 20 years, “accidents” while hunting in France have caused the deaths of more than 400 people. In addition to these 400 fatal «accidents», there are a further 158 injury accidents per year (on average) reported to the gendarmerie. A figure that means little when one considers that most incidents go unreported, and those that are reported are very rarely investigated.
