Fury over bid to ban minors from bullfights

France's upper house of parliament will this week debate a Bill to ban children under 16 from attending bullfights, inflaming tension and enraging aficionados of the centuries-old tradition.

French legislation bans cruelty to animals and bullfighting is outlawed in most of France.

But bullfighting is allowed in the south in cities such as Bayonne, Nimes and Beziers where it is regarded as a cultural tradition, despite complaints from activists.

"The aim is to kill off bullfighting. If we don't pass on the values of bullfighting to children, they won't go to the bullring and it will stop," said Christine Banuls, a member of the La Embestida bullfighting association in the southern town of Bouillargues.

"We have to give every parent and every child an opportunity to choose."