Jean-Claude Van Damme Speaks Out Against Fur With Massive Billboard

by Ali Berman October 14, 2011
Categories: Animals, Causes
Tags: jean claude van damme.
Photo: GAIA

Jean-Claude Van Damme teamed up with the Belgian animal protection organization GAIA to speak out against fur.

In the parking lot of Kinepolis Brussels you can see Van Damme on a billboard that could be for one of his films. The muscle clad actor isn’t holding a weapon though. He’s holding a skinned mink. The tagline says, “Coming this winter to all fur stores.”

This is Van Damme’s first anti-fur campaign. He is now the anti-fur ambassador for the organization. He said about the fur trade, “I fail to see what is attractive about walking around in an animal skin, I suspect the animals would agree with me.”

In Belgium, only mink are raised for fur. In Flanders, Belgium there are approximately 20 mink farms where 150,000 mink are killed annually. They are kept in tiny cages, driven mad from the boredom and bad conditions, and then after seven or eight months, they are gassed and skinned.

GAIA is hoping this campaign will get people to write to members of Parliament to ask them to have Belgium ban the practice of breeding animals for fur. Both England and Austria already have such a law in place. According to GAIA, 9 out of 10 Belgians also agree with the anti-fur message and favor the ban.

About Ali Berman

Ali Berman is a writer, teacher and activist. She works as a humane educator for HEART teaching kids about issues affecting people, animals and the environment. Ali is also a fiction writer. Her published work can be found on her website at aliberman.com. In early 2012 Ali co-founded flipmeover, a production company with the mission to use media to raise awareness of social issues.

View all posts by Ali Berman →

Karina

These kinds of signs should be put up in all cities around the world where animals are worn.
- Jean
  
  FINALLY! this is long awaited for ….The fur trade is barbaric! Thank you Jean Claude!!!
Bob

“I fail to see what is attractive about walking around in an animal skin, I suspect the animals would agree with me.”

An animal probably wouldn’t agree with you eating him either but animals eat each other all the time. So you don’t make a very good case Van Damme. It’s not surprising he built his fame on his muscles. This kid wasn’t going to far on his brains.
- BanTheFurTrade
  
  Bob, why are you even here?
  - http://herwinsvegancafe.blogspot.com/ herwin
    
    Bob is here to make us look good .
- Michiko
  
  Bob, since you are obviously intelligent enough to feel qualified to judge others’ intelligence, I’m sure you are a constant learner and would want to know that, in your last sentence, “to” should be the inclusive “too,” and not the preposition you used.
- lisa
  
  animals might eat each other but it is nature and humans have reason and there are alot of other foods besides meat. It causes lots of health problems also
BanTheFurTrade

As a contrast to this, how about a story on Drew Barrymore the supposed “animal lover” and former vegetarian who is now–believe it or not–appearing in fur ads! Drew, what the hell happened?!?!?
http://areyouaware.net Icare

This is so awesome!!! Way to go Jean!!!!
http://areyouaware.net Icare

@banthefurtrade appreciate your comment about Drew Barrymore I just dont get it either. She also does commercials for Cover Girl which is owned by P&G who tests on animals — not to mention other celebs who do the same and promote animal testing this way. Thx for caring!
don miguelo

Drew better watch out for his surprise split-kick!!
http://herwinsvegancafe.blogspot.com/ herwin

Otger countries that are furm farm unfriendly are the Netherlands. Foxes and chinchilla are already banned from farming for fur, and now plans are on the way to phase out mink farming. (the Netherlands were/are one of the biggest mink and fur producers, with annually around 5 million pelts.)
Plans for phasing out all fur farms starting 2018 already passed parliament.
http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2011/05/mink_farmers_on_offensive_agai.php

PETA take nore, poster campaigns like these with Vandamme are great, and shocking in a POSITIVE way.
- Clare
  
  Herwin – Google “Peta Shareholder activism” – they ARE taking positive steps…. it’s just these are the steps that due to the un-shock tactics do not get the press!
- Anita
  
  This is a great ad, I applaud Van Damme for his involvement with GAIA in the fight to ban fur farms. The ongoing issue is that fashion designers are now getting their fur from Chinese fur farms (China is now the biggest fur producing country in the world) where animals are clubbed, smacked to the ground, skinned alive. There is a video by PETA of this footage, it is horrible and vile, so inconceivably cruel. It is up to the consumer to stop buying fur, and the fashion designers to stop using it. We have to keep fighting.
Rat King

Great action – great man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Marilyn

This is terrible..but at least the animals are gassed before-hand. Check out the China Fur Trade Industry. They skin dogs alive and then throw them into a pile. Some of the dogs live through it! It’s freaking evil!
- lisa
  
  how do you know they are gassed? Does that make it right?
http://tedswoodworkingreviewp.com Alberto Kimple

Well you want to know what I think of Jean Claude Van Damme … I have been a admirer since I was young. He is a great actor. He can take on many rolls. I am glad to see he can make a good row model, for anyone no matter what he has over come in life.