Around 100 animal welfare protesters dressed up as animals covered in blood and marched from Central to Wan Chai on Sunday afternoon, criticising fur traders for treating animals inhumanely during the acquisition of animal fur.
The protest came as the Hong Kong Fur Federation was holding an international fur and fashion fair at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre last Thursday to Sunday. The animal welfare group, “No Fur Citizens Hong Kong”, said they wanted to raise public awareness of the cruelty of animal fur trade. The group added that some producers would even strip off fur when the animal is alive to save costs.
More photos from today’s anti-#fur trade protest in Hong Kong. pic.twitter.com/3p8NEnkU0A
— Alex Hofford (@alexhofford) 2016年2月28日
Some demonstrators entered prestigious shopping mall The Landmark and protested in front of shops selling animal fur.
The International Fur Trade Federation and Hong Kong Fur Federation later issued a joint-statement, “strongly condemning” the anti-fur trade groups for misleading the public and disrupting public order.
They added they opposed any actions that hampered the well-being of animals, and emphasised that the acquisition of animal fur did not include removing fur when the animals were alive.
According to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), Hong Kong is the world’s largest fur exporter and fur trading centre. In 2014, the total value of Hong Kong’s export of fur clothing reached HK$1.86 billion. A large proportion of Hong Kong’s furskin exports are re-exports from overseas countries to mainland China for producing fur clothing.
