Actress Carrie Fisher attacks ‘barbaric’ Chinese dog-eating festival and leads protest calling for it to be banned
The Star Wars star and her beloved dog Gary joined MPs and celebrities in a protest outside the Chinese embassy
STAR WARS legend Carrie Fisher yesterday lashed out at a “barbaric” Chinese dog-eating festival as she led a protest group calling for it to be banned.
The actress and her beloved bulldog Gary joined MPs and celebrities including Made In Chelsea’s Lucy Watson in a protest outside the Chinese embassy in London yesterday.
They are calling for an end to the annual Yulin dog meat festival, which sees thousands of pooches killed each year for their meat.
The Sun has also campaigned to outlaw the brutal event, with more than 13,000 readers having signed our petition to the Chinese government on the change.org campaign site.
Ms Fisher, 59, said: “The festival is barbaric. What they do to those poor dogs is horrendous.
“My dog Gary is my best friend and it makes me shudder to think there are dogs just like him being kidnapped, beaten and eaten.
“I told Gary about the festival this morning and he was disgusted. He hasn’t spoken a word since.
“I want Sun readers to help keep up the pressure. Just because it’s happening far away doesn’t mean we should sit back and do nothing.
“It’s not a culture issue, it’s a humanity issue.”
Made in Chelsea’s Lucy Watson, 25, said: “We are here to speak up for the dogs. They can’t do it for themselves.
“I love my dog Rigby and I think it’s disgusting pets just like him are being treated this way.
“If someone stole Rigby and put him into a stew, I would be beside myself.
“It’s unimaginable cruelty.”
Dog meat is a popular delicacy in China, with some 10 million dogs are killed each year in the country for their meat.
The ten-day Yulin festival was created in 2010 by dog meat sellers to boost flagging sales.
This year’s festival kicks off on June 21, with thousands of people expected to attend.
Many dogs are stolen pets and strays grabbed from the streets.
Thousands of people will gather to tuck in to the meat, washed down with grain alcohol.
Ricky Gervais, Simon Cowell, Gisele Bundchen and Paris Hilton have led calls to scrap the festival.
Activists collected more than 11 million signatures calling on the Chinese government to end the festival.
But officials at the Chinese embassy in London yesterday refused to accept their petition.
The campaigners come from groups including the Humane Society International, RaiseUrPaw, Duo Duo
Projext and petition sites Care2 and Avaaz.
MPs Rob Flello, Grahame Morris, Gavin Robinson and Kirsten Oswald also lent their support at yesterday’s protest.
On June 10, campaigners will take the petition to Beijing to five to Yulin government officials before heading to the festival to protest.
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