Maximilien Carlier edited by Solène Delinger 8:20 p.m., September 18, 2021, modified at 8:22 p.m., September 18, 2021
Thousands of hunters mobilized on Saturday, September 18, to defend traditional bird hunts, deemed illegal by the Council of State.
They were no less than 12,000 in Amiens, where Maximilien Carlier went for Europe 1. Proud of their "show of force", the demonstrators let it be known that they would not let go of anything seven months before the presidential election.
REPORTING
Massive mobilization.
Seven months before the presidential election, hunters were 42,000 marching across France to protest against the ban on certain traditional bird hunting techniques, deemed illegal by the Council of State.
Maximilien Carlier, reporter for Europe 1, was in Amiens, where 12,000 demonstrators shouted their anger.
Reporting.
"We are regularly attacked"
In Amiens, the parade was noisy, but peaceful. "It's a big success, a real show of force," said Nicolas, a hunter, at the microphone of Maximilien Carlier. "Me, I attended demonstrations, in particular in Paris, in 1998, where there was a lot of waste. But there, this year, one could note that the hunters also respect the cities". The hunters mobilized to defend traditional hunts but also rurality. "I think that there is a world which is being created between the world of the city and the world of the countryside", noted Gérard, one of the demonstrators. "We are regularly attacked. We just need to reaffirm our presence and also show that we are responsible people.We are demonstrating and we will see the response of politicians in the years to come. "
Xavier Bertrand present at the Picard meeting
Some politicians were present in the procession in Amiens, in particular Xavier Bertrand, president of the Hauts-de-France region, and presidential candidate.
He firmly defended the hunters.
"Me, I will not let the hunt go on. And if the French trust me, there will be no questioning of the hunt, ever," he said.
And Xavier Bertrand is not the only one to court this electorate.
The government has just made a gesture towards the hunters, by putting in consultation several decrees to re-authorize certain traditional hunts.
Practices "from another time"
On the side of animal protection associations, this decision does not pass. Allain Bougrain-Dubourg, president of the Bird Protection League (LPO), was outraged on BFMTV. "These hunts really generate odious suffering for birds. And in addition, they add to the constraints that lead certain species to decline", he assured, before concluding: "These are the practices of another time. Today it has to stop, it is no longer acceptable ".