Agriculture Minister Didier Guillaume and Local Government Minister Jacqueline Gourault were pictured at the bullfight in Bayonne, south west France, on Wednesday.
The pair were at the event along with the Mayor of Bayonne, according to a picture posted on Twitter of the “grotesque” event by a journalist for the French regional paper Sud-Ouest.
Les ministres @j_gourault et @dguillaume26 avec @JreneEtchegaray aux arènes de #Bayonne pour la corrida goyesque pic.twitter.com/HL0LT4MoLr
— Pierre Sabathié (@PSabathie) August 14, 2019
Their attendance has attracted a flood of criticism, particularly for Didier Guillaume who as agriculture minister also has responsibility for animal welfare.
Animal rights group the Bardot Foundation, set up by French actress Brigitte Bardot, said there was “no limits to the degeneracy” of the ministers, adding that the spectacle was “barbaric”.
Animal welfare groups 30 millions d'amis, L214 et One Voice have also spoken out against the move.
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If it is still legal then they should be able to attend a bull fight. If it is still legal then they should be able to attend a bull fight. Nevertheless bull fights are barbaric and ought not to be tolerated in any so called civilised society. That anyone would enjoy watching a sentient animal (such as a human as well as a bull) being tortured and killed for amusement is deficient in intellect and one wonders whether they should be in any sort of authority. Disgusting.