Chicago overturns foie gras ban
|
Didier
Durand had campaigned against
the foie gras ban |
The
city council of Chicago has overturned a ban on foie gras,
less than two years after it was imposed.
The ban was repealed in a vote by 36-6, and the decision will
go into effect later this month.
The
city had issued few warnings to restaurants that flouted the
ban as they campaigned to overturn it.
The
decision angered animal rights groups. Foie gras is made from
the livers of force-fed ducks and geese, a process that activists
say is cruel.
Thomas
Tunney, the council member who brought the issue to vote, said
supporters of the ban had accomplished their goal by "raising
awareness".
He
said that while he respected their viewpoint, "this is
clearly a matter the council should stay out of and let the
educated consumer and chefs make their own menu choices".
The
ban was imposed after a 48-1 vote in April 2006.
'Duckeasies'
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said the repeal
had been made in "a secretive, rushed bow to special interests
that benefit from the cruel treatment of animals".
But
Didier Durand, one of the Chicago chefs who formed a movement
to end the ban, called the decision "fabulous".
"All
of us are so excited," he said told reporters outside his
restaurant while holding his duck Nicolai - named after French
President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Mr
Durand acknowledged that his restaurant had been a "duckeasy",
getting round the ban by serving foie gras for free.
"Duckeasy"
is a play on Chicago's "speakeasies", illegal bars
that operated when the sale of alcohol was banned during the
American prohibition.
Doug
Sohn, the owner of Hot Doug's "sausage superstore and encased
meat emporium" and recipient of a $250 (£129) fine
for serving foie gras last year, said he was happy about the
decision.
"I truly hope this ends it," he told the Associated
Press news agency.
"There
are real important issues in this city. This is certainly not
one of them."