DES CHASSEURS DE PHOQUES S'EN PRENNENT MAINTENANT À IFAW..

[Animal 0]

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I., April 1, 2005 -


An altercation broke out today on the frozen ice of the Gulf of St. Lawrence between sealers and a group of journalists and observers from IFAW. The incident was photographed by Reuters
and Canadian Press and captured on tape by Italian TV.

According to eyewitness accounts, a group of sealers from the "Cape Ashley"
based out of Port aux Choix, Newfoundland began verbally threatening a group of
observers as they approached an area where sealers were working. One of the
sealers fired warning shots from a rifle as the group moved to 150 meters away
and then again at 50 meters away.

Observers of the seal hunt carry a permit from the Department of Fisheries and
Oceans enabling them to view the hunt and are allowed by law to approach up to
10 meters away from sealers.

As the group moved closer, still more than 10 meters away, a sealer rushed up to
them and began threatening a member of IFAW with a large hook and physically
pushing him around. The group of observers retreated but then the captain of the
Cape Ashley ran toward the group brandishing a hakapik - a spiked club used to
kill seal pups.

The captain rushed toward two members of IFAW threatening one with the hakapik
and then striking another member with the hakapik on both the hand and arm. As
the observers retreated a third sealer on a skidoo flew through the group at
high speeds nearly hitting several members of IFAW.

The incident was captured on tape by Italian TV and photographed by Reuters and
Canadian Press (CP).

P.S. VOUS REMARQUEREZ QUE LA NOUVELLE N'EST PAS TOUT-À-FAIT LA MÊME EN PROVENANCE DU QUÉBEC (VOIR NOUVELLE CONFRONTATION DANS LA RUBRIQUE "ANIMAUX"...) :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: