“As one of the many animal rights protesters who challenged Mr. Lawson on his misguided decision to go ahead with the Frank Evans book signing at his bookshop I was relieved to learn that compassionale folks arrived to carry out a demonstration outside the shop and, as a result, very few people bought the book. I was surprised that Mr. Lawson even considered doing such a loony and contraversial thing in the first place especially as he must have been aware of Waterstone's wise decision to cancel their book signing session. Shame on him.”

“I wonder if this bookshop would have a book signing promotion if the author was a sadistic child murderer - after all, using a sword to take the lifde of a young animal, then slicing off it's ears and balls is about as sick as it gets and not much different! This book store is basically glorifying extreme cruelty.”

“"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated,".said Mahatma Gandhi so Spain scores "nul points" there. Mr Lawson's freedom of speech and civil liberty arguments may be extended to justify publication of pornography and worse until the Obscene Publications Act steps in. He claims that he wants to promote this book so that hopefully its readers will be put off going to a bullfight ! Not a wise thing for a shop owner to say of a book signing by one of his authors. Does Mr Frank Evans know Lawson's these stated true motives of Mr Lawson which I have in writing. Mr Lawson need not be judge and jury of his books' subject matter generally but to actively promote, with a book signing, cruelty and abuse of defenceless wounded terrified and confused farm animals, who were naturally timid before being roughed up by trainers for the ring is morally wrong. Albert Schweitzer said " Le grand ennemi de l'ethique, c'est l'insensibilite" so it's high time for all concerned to show some sensitivity here . Cancel all signing promotions of this book for moral and ethical reasons and not because of any fear of the alleged possible consequences if it goes ahead. Waterstones appear to have cancelled for the wrong reasons and are still stocking the book anyway. Most national newspapers carried this book story because the writer has an unusual background. This is a 15 minutes novelty story which will soon be forgotten. What should be remembered is that Spain's zoo and animal/bird theme park record of animal deprivation is just as shocking in a slow burn way. Spain is under timed notice by the EU to comply with EU laws and standards of zoo husbandry on which they have failed spectacularly so far. At least Frank Evans has ironically aired the whole busness of animal cruelty. I agree with Jordi and Tricia on the points they make, too.”

“I agree with Jordi, London. I expect the bookshop will become known locally as "the shop that had the bullfighter there" and will leave a nasty taste in many people's mouths, which is a shame, as independant book shops are usually wonderful places to be cherished and supported. With regard to the wider issue of freedom of speech: the owner of the shop can stock any book he wishes, but by actively allowing the author to promote the book on his premises he goes further. Personally I find it sickening that an individual can glorify in causing pain and fear to an animal, two terrible emotions to experience and so I find it incomprehensible that the owner of the shop would wish to give this man a platform; if I lived locally I would now be voting with my feet where this shop is concerned, but if the owner of the shop feels strongly this is a matter of free speech rather than a commercial event, as it seems to me, then it would be fair to also give a platform to those who can provide a full picture of all that is involved in the breeding, training and killing of bulls, rather than just tthe perspective of someone in it for self-interest.”

“There are four main reasons for cancelling the book signing event: ethical, ?freedom of speech?, legal and business.

From an ethical point of view, during bullfighting bulls are tortured to death in a manner contrary of what most people, even the majority of the citizens in the bullfighting countries, would consider acceptable and within the minimum animal welfare standards that any civilised society ought to have. I am from Spain myself, so I do consider Spanish culture 'civilised' since I do know most people there are indeed against bullfighting, although sadly the bullfighting industry has managed to hijack enough power to promote the false idea that bullfighting is an intrinsic 'tradition' that needs protecting, even if it goes against people opinion, moral and ethical values, and modern animal welfare principles. I am sure that Mr Lawson, is not ethical-less, and is able to distinguish between right and wrong. I am also sure that he does sell any book that is published in the world, but uses his ethical criteria to avoid books that may be too offensive to his costumers or may be promoting real (not fictional) violence to others, even if such violence may be legal in some places in the world.


From a 'freedom of speech' point of view, there is a big difference between allowing someone to speak and inviting someone to speech in your home. I am sure that if I knock Mr Lawson home's door and ask him to allow me to organise a public anti-bullfighting event in his living room he would object, even when I demand you must allow me in name of freedom of speech. He may say to me that he would not stop me 'speaking' anywhere else so I am indeed free, but his home is not the place for that. Well, his bookstore is like his home. He should have said to Frank Evans that he is free to sign his book wherever he likes, but not in his store since this will most likely offend many of his costumers, which he likes to look after properly in return from their custom. A book signing event is a 'promotion' of the book, not an expression of free speech. Cancelling it does to limit at all the freedom of speech of the author, whose book remains public and who can go and sign it anywhere he likes. If Mr Lawson?s decision of inviting the bullfighter was truly motivated by Free Speech, then in all fairness he should be equally concerned with those UK citizens that generally have a bad deal about their freedom of speech, like law abiding peaceful animal rights campaigners, who often are not allowed to protest peacefully in front of places where animals are tortured. He should have scheduled an animal right event the same day, so he could show that animal defenders should also have the same freedom of speech than animal abusers. But he did not do that and therefore going ahead with the ?one-sided? event would be against the freedom of speech of those opposing animal cruelty.


From a legal point of view, under the Animal welfare Act 2006 bullfighting is illegal in the UK (as in most countries in the world) for animal cruelty reasons, so Frank Evans would be a criminal under British law if he did here what he does abroad; and yet, if Mr Lawson goes ahead with the event he is in fact promoting Mr. Evan?s actions by giving him publicity and exposure. This is no different that you glorifying a British paedophile that goes abroad on 'sex holidays' in the countries where he is allowed to have sex with minors, and then comes back home to tell about how much he enjoys it. It is not only illegal to practice bullfighting in the UK, but also making publicity of such bullfights. The only reason why Mr Lawson would not commit a crime if he goes ahead with the event is purely geographical. The bullfighter, by having tortured and killed bulls only abroad, cannot be prosecuted here, and neither the promoter that makes publicity of his actions. We are not talking here of somebody that 'used to do it', but someone that still does it. Mr Lawson sh”

“These people hanging around this shop should take collection buckets with them and make good time by collecting for a home worthy cause like the Donna Louise and the Dougie Mac.”

“I don't think most reasonable people would object to pretty much any legal publication being sold at a book shop - the issue here is the book signing.

Regardless of whether this signing takes place or not, the desired effect of any book signing is publicity. Mr Lawson appears to have this in spades!

All he has to do is wait until the last minute to cancel the book signing and he will have a two sectors of potential customers (no doubt the ALF crowd as well as the people there for the signing) to sell books to.

Sounds like a win-win situation for Mr Lawson. I'm sure that he will thank you personally in writing for all the free publicity!

My personal opinion? I have no strong opinion either way on the bullfighting but I *DO* have strong opinions on allowing freedom of speech (from both sides of the debate). The last thing we need is animal rights protestors (terrorists at the most extreme end of their scale) causing the end of rational debate. People should be free to peacefully protest. People should be free to ask questions of the author in the shop. If they feel suitably strong enough about the matter people will take their business elsewhere if they so wish. People should *NOT* be forced into silence for fear of protests becoming intimidating, violent or dangerous.

As for PETA being quoted - that automatically shoots down the credibility of any argument on animal rights. It's a bit like asking David Ike for an opinion on the existance of aliens.

And *Michael, Stoke* - I don't think Alastair Crowley and the Marquis de Sade are likely to be doing any book signings in the near future. And I believe a certain A. Hitler is unavailable for Mein Kampf signings too. Were they alive I would expect controversy to surround their book signings too...”

“Sorry, got carryed away with have a go at the barbaric Sinure Evens and did not comment on the story. If the bookshop thinks the book will sell, by all means stock the waste of ink. I Don't think for a moment that the wrighter sould be invited into the shop to publesize the thing. Meny may see this as surport for this sick sport, I don't, nether do I feel the need to waste my time yelling insults at this man, others may do.”

“i like what Raymond, Staffs (commented on 15-Sep-2009 15:50) says, and I would not call a book signing an 'event' if people do not like the fact of it then they shouldn't come to it, the book is not one of how many bulls the author has killed and is difinately NOT gory but is instead about his rather funny journey on the wa! people should stop making such a fuss over it!”

“whether its right or wrong, we live in the free world, Theirs all sorts of material out there that is morally wrong in certain peoples eyes, there are magazines in newsagents, on the top shelf, etc... doesn't mean we have to buy it. If somebody wants to sell it and read it then let them, its not illegal!!!!! like some things....”