Malta Tourism Authority chairman Gavin Gulia has hit out at Queen guitarist Brian May for the stand the latter took against spring hunting during the concert held in St George’s Square, Valletta, on Saturday.

Writing on his Facebook page, Dr Gulia said that although he is no hunter and has never lifted a shotgun, he said he respected the rights of minorities, including hunters and trappers.

“Brian May came here to sing (sic) and not to make an appeal against hunting. I think he made a mistake and allowed himself to be influenced by others,” Dr Gulia wrote.

It is however not the first time that personalities have spoken out against matters on which they feel strongly about, and many times they do this in front of large crowds to attract as much media attention as they can get.

Moreover, Brian May is known for his support to foundations who have animal welfare as their declared aim. These include the Animal Defenders International, the International Fund for Animal Welfare and the Gorilla Organisation.

During the concert last Saturday, he did not only speak out against spring hunting and called upon the people to vote against it if a referendum is held. He also mentioned the plight of lions and badgers.

Added to this, hunting and trapping is the main issue many tourists complain about when they visit Malta. Many letters have been published in local media, written by tourists who vowed they will not return to the country unless hunting is controlled better.

Brian May reiterates call 

Today, Brian May wrote on his blog to repeat his position against spring hunting in Malta.

"But let me tell you about the fight for decent treatment of wild animals in Malta, specifically wild birds. Of course, as in almost all countries, tradition has a lot to answer for, and Malta is no exception. Tradition, as with the fox hunters and shooters and despicable badger-baiters in the UK, is used to justify all sorts of abuse of animals, and it will take every ounce of strength from people pursuing decency to wipe out the ancient barbarism which lingers on.

In Malta they have a tradition, held on to by a minority, but a powerful minority, in the face of the bulk of public opinion. They basically shoot all kinds of songbirds, including blackbirds and turtle doves, as they migrate through Maltese Airspace.

Can it be justified in terms of these people being hungry, and needing to eat these small animals? No. Of course not … this is just another manifestation of the vestiges of savagery in Humans - it's done for pleasure. It's no use appeal to these people on the grounds of compassion, or empathy, or even acquiescence to what most people regard as common decency. They have to be stopped by law, and the law has to be enforced.

"So these bird protection people will get their referendum, and with about 60 per cent of the population in favour of a ban, they should get the law changed. In some cases the Government welcomes this process, because they can wash their hands of an embarrassing matter. That seems to be the case for the bird issue.

The present government is against hunting, but would find it hard to go against the small but powerful pro-hunting faction. So the referendum, (due to be held next year ?) just enables them to sidestep the issue and not make enemies in the hunting community."

FKNK statement

The Federation for Hunting and Conservation – Malta (FKNK) also criticised Brian May for what it said were 'ironic statements'.

Brian May, invited, at probably no small cost from the hunters’ (and other locals’) taxpayer’s till, to dazzle us with his music, thought fit to tread on the anti-hunting lobby field in statements that he made to the Maltese public against a legal hunting practice on the islands, also endorsed by the European Court of Justice, FKNK said.

In a typical colonial fashion, May deemed fit to remind us that the British always know better and that any other manner than theirs, of doing things, is wrong.  The irony of this statement is that it materialised on none other than the celebration of Malta’s Freedom Day.  The day, the Maltese proudly regained their freedom from the ties of foreign rule.

What May so subtly forgot to tell his audience, was that hunting and killing of animals is only wrong when it is done by the Maltese.  He forgot to tell his audience that when it came down to his personal decision on whether to kill or let live dozens of deer (Bambis – for those who only know wild animals from the movies) he opted for the massacre of these innocent creatures just because they happened to live on a stretch of land that he had purchased, FKNK said.

Therefore, the FKNK has little else to say to hypocrites who feel that they can pontify to who they believe to be third-world beings, so May can save us his hypocritical views and go back home to ponder on whether he should kill more of Bambi’s relatives, or give them some space to live on his land.

Incidentally, while in Malta, May was photographed with a fellow national, BirdLife Malta’s executive director.  The director, who at present is calling for donations in support of BirdLife’s campaign to ban legal hunting.  Maybe May’s cheap remarks did not come so cheap after all.

Kaccaturi San Ubertu statement

Another hunters' association, the Kaccaturi San Ubertu, were even more aggressive in their statement, referring to the statements during a public concert made about the spring hunting referendum by Brian May and describing him as "a relic of the legendary band Queen who has as much knowledge of Malta’s democratic processes or Maltese hunting as a British Jam doughnut.

"The new cover photo on the Birdlife Malta executive director's Facebookpage together with Mr. May should clear any doubts about the strength of May’s convictions about Malta as being his own. Clearly Brian May was exercising his support for animal rights by being the perfect Birdlife Malta parrot," they said.

http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-04-05/news/brian-may-makes-plea-against-spring-hunting-4519002112/