In 1991 we have sent two Italians from Jesolo Lido and Ivrea

 

That's what they reported to us

The last day of carnival, the day of the traditional celebration, has been the 12^th of February 1991. The day before, Monday the 11^th , in the town hall of the village a press conference took place. Among the local authorities and audience had been present about 30 animalists coming from various countries of Europe, as well as 2 parliamentarians from Belgium.

Taking the word the mayor. We did not ask him, whether the donkey would be assaulted also this year an he assured us, repeating several times, that it won't be touched „ not even with one finger”. He added, that he was glad to see many persons who would be able to testify in their countries about the beauty of Villanueva and the goodness of its inhabitants. Then spoke the parliamentarians of Belgium and the representative of the „Foundation Bardot”.

Finally intervened a Spanish, in a very arrogant mode, he affirmed that the celebrations in question represented a beautiful Spanish costume, with which the foreigners didn't have anything to do, and so could go home immediately. We answered, that the cruelty doesn't have frontiers.

This is what happened

A nine o'clock in the morning, appointment in the plaza of the country. They bring a donkey, of clear grey colour, that to the inspector of the association national defence animals, seemed the same as the year before. The Crowd immediately is I set to the small animal, striking it with kicks, fists and batons. Then the animal is introduced at the entrance of the town hall, where the "quintos" force it to ingest an enormous quantity of alcohol and they tie a rope at his neck. The men and the boys are attending, foretasting the fun.

Almost hundred people they furiously pull the rope to make go out the donkey. Those who are inside open the door, they pretend to deliver the victim, then they close it again with a hit: the donkey beats the head he remains almost strangled. It is braying strong from the pain. This lasts half an hour . They pull the rope, a little bit to the right, a little bit left to increase the suffering. The animal is finally forced to go out.

The inspector of the ANDA reports: the donkey immediately falls. The course is that of the other years. The animal falls every few meters. Then the young people throw themselves above him, they break him the legs, so, very soon it had wounded and bloody extremities.

The French representative of the society protection of the animals sees it, all of a sudden, to vomit blood.

It was extremely difficult to photograph the donkey, while it was being abused, because the fellow townsman prevented this in every way.

An Italian envoy writes: already at the first appearance of the donkey, I had tried to photograph it , but I received shoves and fists in the sides. Not for this I gave up trying: the donkey was conduced around the village with the big rider on the back. I knew the course because I had made it the day before; so I approached there where the animal would have had to turn. It arrived, with all the people around that beat it. I saw a man that beat it with particular violence, with a big and short baton. I tried to photograph him but some tried to take my photo camera. I threw myself to earth over it a to defend it, with those coming over me, storming me with kicks and fists.

As soon as I was able, I threw myself among the legs that were around me as it is at the rugby, and, after an endless run, I reached the centre of the plaza. There I turned and I saw four people that ran after me. I sheltered under the arcades and another citizen tripped me up, for which I fell. In a few seconds, my pursuers reached me and they beated me with much violence; then they raised me up and one of hem threw me a fist in the stomach. I tried to escape and another struck me gave me a hit to the right eye. The protectionists came to help me and they pushed me inside an open door. I took breath for an instant, but the landlady threw me out. This way I had almost missed all the course of the donkey.

The donkey finally arrived, always surrounded by his jailers, and I noticed that it bled next to the ear. The animal, so small, standing out among so many wild men. Cruelty is always accompanied by cowardice.

Finished the historical commemoration, the donkey was brought back to the farm, without allowing present veterinarians to visit it and not even to give to him an analgesic.