PrĂłToiro, the Portuguese bullfighting federation, has accused the government of prohibiting parents from freely educating their children, when the State has âthe Constitutional obligation to promote access for all to Cultureâ .
At issue is the measure presented by the government last weekend to raise the age where children can attend bullfights from 12 to 16.
PrĂłToiroâs secretary-general HĂ©lder Milheiro has called the measure âabsurdâ and âwithout any justificationâ.
He said what concerns his federation is that this is âa clear attempt to limit or prohibit access of minors to bullfightsâ, which he believes totally contravenes parentsâ rights to freedom of choice in the way they bring up their children.
âUnfortunately this has already happened several times with this governmentâ, he added, suggesting PS Socialists are attacking the bullfighting sector to keep left-wing allies PAN and Bloco de Esquerda âon sideâ.
It has to be stressed nonetheless that the measure has yet to pass into law – and PAN and BE arenât particularly impressed by it.
Explains Jornal i, both parties would prefer an outright ban on bullfighting.
For now, PrĂłtoiro is simply voicing its concern. More concrete measure will come, HĂ©lder Milheiro suggests, when and if the plan approaches the Statute Books.
Earlier this month, the UN committee for Childrenâs Rights said it too believed the age for children attending bullfights should be raised, not to 16 but to 18 (click here).
PrĂłToiro said the committee had been swayed by âmyths, lies and biasâ.
