Residents defy law and throw ducks into sea

EVEN though the traditional duck throwing event is illegal on the island, a few towns still defy the ban and hold it anyway, such is the case in Can Picafort which held the event yesterday. Around 2'000 people congregated at the Can Picafort port at midday to be part of the duck throwing event.
However, this time round, the Santa Margalida town council cannot be fined for organising the event, as it was in fact the residents who bought all the ducks, with the aim of throwing them in the sea, and catching them. Those who took part in the fiesta all wore a sky-blue T-shirt, which bore the slogan of “Yes we love ducks”. Once the ducks were thrown into the sea, it was then down to the residents to jump in and catch them. This event is highly contentious and is banned on the island as it is thought to be inhumane to the ducks. However, those who were at yesterday's duck-throwing event, said “they suffer more (the ducks) when they are sold in the square, trapped in a tiny cage in the heat of the summer, than they do at this event”. The Mayor of Santa Margalida, Antoni del Olmo, said that “the town has spoken with this initiative, as it has been the residents who have decided to continue the fiesta”. The town council remarked that they were not able to organise the duck-throwing event “because there is a law which forbids it, but if one individual decides to buy a duck and throw it in the water to be able to dive in and catch it, then it is up to them”. The same duck-throwing event was held last weekend in Colonia de Sant Jordi, with many children enjoying the fiesta and jumping into the water to catch their “prize”. The town council will probably be receiving a fine for holding this event.