5 PETA Activists, Including French Influencer Jeremstar, Acquitted Following Anti-Bullfighting Protest
Update (9 June 2026):
Historic victory! A judge acquitted Jeremstar and four other PETA activists following their anti-bullfighting action at the city’s arena during the Feria des Vendanges in September 2025.
The defendants were accused of disrupting a sporting event after the influencer jumped into the arena while a bull lay dying after being repeatedly stabbed, while holding a sign denouncing the barbarity of bullfighting. Hundreds of people came to the court to show their support and demand an end to bullfighting, creating a national conversation about the future of bullfighting in France.
“Today, we were acquitted. Tomorrow, it’s the bulls who must finally be freed from this institutionalised violence. It’s a real scandal that bullfighting – a practice in which innocent beings are tortured and slaughtered for entertainment – still exists in 2026!”
Jeremstar
Original article (published 2 April 2026): Influencer Jeremstar Appears in Court After Bullring Protest
A French court has today heard the case of French influencer and animal rights campaigner Jeremstar, and four other PETA activists, following their dramatic protest during a bullfight in Nîmes.
During the trial, he wore a t-shirt with the message, “Torturing bulls is a crime.” They face up to one year in prison and a fine of 15,000 euros. They could also be banned from sports venues for up to five years. The verdict will be delivered in June.
Jeremstar, whose real name is Jérémy Gisclon, is a well-known French influencer with a large following on social media and a track record of speaking out for animals. On 19 September 2025, he leapt into the bullring during the opening corrida of the Feria des Vendanges in Nîmes, southern France, after a bull was stabbed to death.
Security guards tackled Jeremstar to the ground and dragged him from the arena before police placed him in custody for nearly 48 hours. Footage of the incident, widely shared online, shows the influencer being violently pushed to the ground and removed while the fatally injured bull lay bleeding in the ring.
“If defending an animal being stabbed to death is a crime, then I assume it. There is no justification for torturing a bull to applause. What I saw that evening shocked me deeply and I am proud to have acted to shine a spotlight on this atrocity that is still taking place in the arenas of France. This bloodthirsty cruelty has no place today.”
Jeremstar
Bullfighting In France
Bullfighting tends to be associated with Spain, but it takes place in several southern regions of France as well. This is even though polls consistently show that most people in France oppose bullfighting, and the practice is already banned in the country, except for a few towns where it is exempt.
During a typical bullfight, a bull is harassed, terrorized, and repeatedly stabbed with a lance and barbed sticks, causing severe blood loss and muscle damage. When he is weakened and exhausted, a matador attempts to kill him with a sword. The final blow often fails, leaving the animal conscious but paralysed as he is dragged from the arena. Ears or tails may be cut off as trophies while the crowd applauds.
A Future Without Bullfighting
PETA has long exposed bullfighting for what it is: the ritualised public execution of sensitive, intelligent animals. Calling bullfighting sport or art is an insult to real athletes and artists.
A French court ruled in 2015 that bullfighting is not part of the country’s cultural heritage, meaning the end is in sight for bullfighting in the country.
Take Action Against Bullfighting
Thank you to Jeremstar and the other activists for taking action for bulls! Find out how you can support the campaign to end bullfighting with these five quick actions:
Help Animals in 2026: Renew Your PETA Membership!
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