“We are not making a political recovery of anything at all”, Robert Ménard refutes the accusations of anti-bullfighting

It is a sketch by Jean Moulin which serves as a poster for Feria 2024. Midi Libre – Mélissa Alcolea

C’est une photo qui sera utilisée sur tous les produits de la Feria 2024 à la vente.

The official poster for Feria 2024, representing a drawing by Jean Moulin, will not be affixed to derivative products for this edition. Another poster will take its place.

Since its unveiling on May 7, the poster for the Feria de Béziers 2024, which represents a drawing by Jean Moulin, has been at the heart of debate. Particularly within anti-bullfighting collectives.

"These posters will suggest to the thousands of people who will be present at the Feria that Jean Moulin was a bullfight enthusiast,explains Thierry Hély, leader of Flac (Federation of Struggles for the Abolition of Bullfighting). This controversy does not only concern the family and the town of Béziers, but the whole of France. He is an incredible figure, a character who is in the Pantheon."

Remarks that annoy the mayor of Béziers."We are not making a political recovery of anything at all, he replies. I called Mr. Benoit (a member of Jean Moulin's family, editor's note) asking him if we could use this drawing for the Feria, and he told me Yes. The rest, I don't see the problem. If anti-bullfighting associations don't like it, it would have been any other poster, they wouldn't have liked it either. We need to stop making double-headed arguments with four guys who only represent themselves."

"We only keep Jean Moulin's drawing for display in the city"

The leader of Flac is however delighted that this drawing by Jean Moulin does not appear on the products derived from Feria 2024: "Effectively, it& ;rsquo;is already a first step. We can't make the dead talk and assume that they like bullfighting just because he made caricatures about it."

The poster with the drawing by Jean Moulin will therefore only be displayed. "We only keep this drawing for the poster that is not sold, it’s the one that is displayed in the city. All derived products will be made from a photo that we already have, details the mayor of Béziers. We knew that we could not not use Jean Moulin's drawings for all derivative products. Because the family does not want us to use their drawings for commercial purposes, not just this one but all of their drawings."

Today, Robert Ménard wishes, above all, to move forward, and look forward to the Feria which is fast approaching: "How can -one might believe that I think that bullfighting is an act of resistance ? You have to think all the same. Bullfighting exists in Béziers, Jean Moulin drew sketches of bullfighting, and I am very happy to introduce people to this drawing. We just want to make the Feria a success, there will be more a million people in Béziers, and there are only around fifteen anti-bullfighters who don't like this poster."

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