ROME -- Two animal rights activists were arrested on Wednesday morning after peacefully protesting against bullfighting during the Pope Francis’s weekly general audience in Rome’s St Peter’s Square, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has confirmed.

 The two women, whose identities are not known, were wearing T-shirts and holding up signs which read ‘Bullfighting is a sin’ when they were escorted out by security. Although the demonstrators were seen shouting in a video clip which has been widely shared, the Audience was not interrupted and carried on as normal. PETA has said the activists were calling on pontiff to end the Catholic Church’s ties with bullfighting and to use his influence to condemn the sport, which is still performed across the world in honour of Catholic saints.

 Despite the controversial nature of bullfighting, dozens of events take place each year, often tormenting, seriously injuring, or sometimes killing the bulls involved. Mimi Bekhechi, vice-president of PETA UK, Europe and Australia, has condemned what it says is the Catholic Church’s links to the sport.

 “The Bible asks us to show compassion towards all of God’s creations, and yet, in front of crowds that mock them, bulls are tormented, trafficked, and massacred at the hands of aggressors blessed by Catholic priests. PETA is asking his Holiness to condemn the vile bullfighting industry and cut ties between the Church and these cruel and bloody shows.”

 PETA has previously asked Pope Francis to speak out on the issue, in line with the organisation’s motto ‘Animals are not ours to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way’.

bq