Demonstration against wolf hunting - Stockholm, Sweden, January 17,2010

Unlike the press and media, who were invited to write about the event, and who not only chose to not write about it, but also manipulated a lot of information to fit their needs for supporting the government and hunting lobby, we bring the reflections of the demonstration that took place this past Sunday in Stockholm.

It was the first event of this kind, since the brutal slaughter of 27+ Swedish wolves took place between January 2-4th this year.

There were just days to prepare for it, organise it and announce it. Without financial and media backup. Despite that, it turned out to be a professional, well organised, well attended event, only thanks to a group of dedicated and commited people with passion and love for the wolves.

Several hundred people gathered in the old center of Sweden´s capital city, between the parliament building and the castle. I would like to objectively say how many people were there, but it is impossible, as many came after the official start.

What struck me the most of all, was the blend of ages, races, positions, education, etc.. From young people, to families with children, middle aged and pensioners. Politicians, artists, animal lovers, students of dog gymnasium, conservationalists, wildlife photographers, teachers, professors, and many more. What brought them together was one mutual cause - the love, passion and understanding for the wolf kind. The ethical feeling and knowing that what has happened in Sweden and what is going on, is TERRIBLY WRONG.

The speeches of representatives of many organisations and political parties, including the Swedish Predator Association (Svenska Rovdjurforeningen) and Grönt Partiet (Green Party), were absolutely clear:

The decision and act of Swedish government is TOTALY UNACCEPTABLE.
We cannot and will not let the delisting of wolves in Sweden from the endangered species continue.
We cannot and will not let the government kill another wolves, supported by only their ridiculous argument of inbreeding and population control (only a bit over 200 wolves lives in Sweden recently), and lobby from hunting association.

And then there were acts and sharing of experiences from ordinary people, who made one realise the horrible truth.

An older man showed his resignation to his long time employer, the Swedish ministry of agriculture. He rather risked his existence, than working for, and thus supporting the decision makers who ordered so many wolves to die for no reason.

There was a lady from Switzerland, who came to Sweden to study wolves and learn how to track them and anlyze their DNA. She told me a story of a wolf her student group "met" during field work last year, and whom got a name after one of the students. He traveled several hundred kilometers to a new teritory, where he found a partner (so much for closely inbred wolves) and was going to start a new pack. He was killed during the brutal slaughter in Värmland two weeks ago. The lady wasn´t able to finish without breaking into tears.

These, dear readers, are the real stories, that won´t be published in the mass media, such as SVT (Swedish natioal TV) or DN (Daily News). Instead, the half minute shot in TV informed about "group of about 50 animal lovers".

But that won´t change a thing on the fact, that the first of many protests took place, and united many more people with common sense.

It won´t change a fact that the politicians keep forgetting, that without voters, they won´t have their chairs in the next government.
And that there are many voters who are very angry about their government´s bad choices and unethical acts.

This sunday afternoon, when the castle walls lit up by torches and candles and the air filled with people singing and dancing, I felt the spirit of togetherness. The spirit that can help us win this war for our wild brothers, the wolves.

Let´s not give up! The journey continues.

“First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win.” -- Mahatma Gandhi

Picture is worth a thousand words:

Part of the crowd which media and hunting association called the "small group of about 50 wolf lovers".

Touching tributte to the 27+ wolves massacred during the recent wolf hunt, and the 12 wolf pack, wiped out at the Skane ZOO, one week later.

Students from Dog Gymnasium in Örekljunga (several hundred kilometers south of Stockholm) came to say: "With Dogs for Wolves"

Bobby Ho - founder of Bevara och Skydda Vargen (Save and Protect Wolves) group.

The man who bravely gave up his job, because he lives by his ethical standards. Not a very common act these days.

Famous Swedish rapper Dogge Dogelito - making the crowd dance, with his original texts about wolves and politics, and a catchy reage and rap rythms

Candles lit for the fallen wolves. We can´t let this hate killing continue...

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