- Title: BELGIUM: ANIMAL ACTIVISTS PROTEST AGAINST EID FESTIVAL RITUAL SLAUGHTERS.
- Date: 21st January 2005
- Summary: (EU) BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (JANUARY 20, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV/MV/PAN: POLICE AROUND DEMONSTRATION OF GAIA AGAINST ILLEGAL SLAUGHTERING AT HOME; GAIA DEMONSTRATOR HOLDING A MASK OF SHEEP; MORE DEMONSTRATORS HOLDING MASKS OF SHEEP; DEMONSTRATORS CROSSING THE STREET WITH BANNERS (5 SHOTS) 0.30 2. CU/CU/ZOOM OUT/GV: DEMONSTRATOR PUTTING A MASK ON HER FACE; MAN'S HAND WITH FAKE BLOOD (2 SHOTS) 0.44 3. MV/CU: PROTESTERS DRESSED AS SHEEP LYING ON THE STREET HOLDING BANNERS; "SHEEP" LYING ON THE GROUND COVERED WITH BLOOD HOLDING BOARDS READING "KIR HAS BLOOD ON HIS HANDS", "ILLEGAL OFFAL", "THE LAW COUNTS REMAINS FOR EVERYBODY" (4 SHOTS) 1.01 4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) DEMONSTRATOR WEARING SHEEP MASK, MIET VAES, SAYING: "Ritual slaughtering at home is forbidden by the law. This is not a recent law, but exist already since 1988. In fact authorities still allow it, since a lot of municipalities put containers at the side of the street where the Muslims can get rid of their offal of the sheep. Unintentionally they incite the people to (continue) slaughtering at home." 1.22 5. MV/CU: TWO DEMONSTRATORS DRESSED AS SHEEP LYING ON THE GROUND HOLDING A BANNER READING: ILLEGAL CONTAINERS"; DEMONSTRATOR PRETENDING TO BE A SHEEP DYING IN A POOL OF BLOOD (2 SHOTS) 1.29 6. CU/PAN/GV: BANNER READING "HAPPY EID FEAST", TEMPORARY SLAUGHTERHOUSE IN TENT 1.37 7. GV/MV: SHEEP IN PENS IN SLAUGHTERHOUSE (3 SHOTS) 1.57 8. (SOUNDBITE) (French) BOY ZAID SAYING: "The people don't want to slaughter the sheep in the house, they want to bring them here, so others can slaughter them professionally." 2.04 9. GV/CU: SHEEP PUSHED INTO THE SLAUGHTER ROOM (3 SHOTS) 2.26 10. (SOUNDBITE) (French) SAID BENNALLEL SAYING: "We are talking about almost 25,000 sheep for the region of Brussels, once every municipality has enough accommodation to slaughter all the sheep together, there will be no slaughtering at home anymore." 2.37 11. MCU/MV/GV: MEN STRIPPING THE SKIN OFF FRESHLY SLAUGHTERED SHEEP; MAN CARRYING OUT SHEEP'S CARCASS; TEMPORARY SLAUGHTERHOUSE; MAN SHARPENING KNIFES (4 SHOTS) 2.59 12. GV/MV/PAN/CU: PEOPLE CARRYING AWAY SHEEP CARCASSES, PUTTING IN BOOT OF CAR; BLOODY CARCASS OF A SHEEP (5 SHOTS) 3.27 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 5th February 2005 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
- Country: Belgium
- Reuters ID: LVA5EJYJ5GLRS9HPKWQ2EW3QFHMJ
- Story Text: Dozens of animal rights activists demonstrate in
Brussels against Eid festivities ritual slaughter.
Demonstrators dressed in sheep masks took to the
streets of Brussels on Thursday (January 20) against the
ritual slaughter of sheep at home for the Muslim festival
of Eid al-Kabir.
Muslims all over the world celebrated the start of the
three-day Eid-al-Adha festival on Thursday, by slaughtering
sheep, goats, cows and camels to commemorate Prophet
Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son, Ismail, on
God's command.
Non-Muslims are probably more familiar with Eid
al-Fitr, which ends the Ramadan fast, but Eid al-Adha - the
Feast of the Sacrifice, is actually the more important
celebration. It is also known as the Great Feast or Eid al-Kabir.
Global Action in the Interest of Animals (GAIA) say
Belgian authorities have not taken the necessary action
against private traditional sheep slaughtering. The local
councils have placed containers on the streets for the
disposal of animal carcasses slaughtered at home which GAIA
says this encourages the outlawed practice.
"Ritual slaughtering at home is forbidden by the law.
This is not a recent law, but exist already since 1988. In
fact authorities still allow it, since a lot of
municipalities put containers at the side of the street
where the Muslims can get rid of their offal of the sheep.
Unintentionally they incite the people to (continue)
slaughtering at home."
Wearing sheep masks, GAIAI demonstrators lay on the
streets in front of government buildings, holding placards
and banners reading "Illegal Containers" and "Emir Kirr has
blood on his hands."
Every year about 50,000 sheep are slaughtered for the
feast and in Brussels several communities are
professionally butchering the sheep in temporary
slaughterhouses.
Temporary slaughterhouses have been set up in tents
across Brussels. In Schaarbeek Muslim families brought
their sheep for the slaughter according to the Islamic
doctrine which sets out detailed procedures for the
sacrifice known as Dhabh. The animals must have their
throats cut with their head facing towards Mecca. Trained
slaughterers must use sharp knives to quickly cut the skin.
In Brussels, the Muslim community of about 175,000
people or 17 percent of the local population, requires the
installation of special places for slaughter. Since the
first collection of animal waste products in 1997, only 10
percent of sheep are slaughtered in the temporary installed
abattoirs.
At the abattoir in Schaarbeek, the organisers admit
that many Muslims still slaughter their sheep at home.
"We are talking about almost 25,000 sheep for the
region of Brussels, once every municipality has enough
accommodation to slaughter all the sheep together, there
will be no slaughtering at home anymore, "Moroccon
alderman, Said Benhallel, said.
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