France’s highest court, the Constitutional Council, upheld a law on Friday banning the construction of new cockfighting arenas, ruffling the feathers of some supporters of the controversial sport, reports FRANCE 24.
While a law against animal cruelty prohibits cockfighting in most of France, it is allowed in the country’s northern Nord-Pas-de-Calais region, as well as in a number of its overseas territories, where the sport is considered a part of the local heritage.
But the Constitutional Council dealt the sport a blow on Friday after upholding a law banning the construction of any new cockfighting arenas.
The case was brought before the court by two men from the French island of Réunion, where cockfighting is allowed, who said they had been unfairly prosecuted for opening a new ring in their hometown of Sainte-Marie in 2012.
They argued that cockfighting should be treated like bullfighting, which is also considered a traditional sport and is allowed to build new arenas.
But in its decision, the Constitutional Council ruled that the two sports were “in their nature, distinct practices”, and therefore could not be dealt with in the same manner.