Jose Bove, French farmer and global activist
(EPA/EMPICS)
Jose Bove
With his distinctive Asterix moustache, Jose Bove has become
a national symbol of French opposition to corporate rule. In 1988,
he was one of the organisers of the 'Ploughing the Champs Elysee',
against European farming policies. Next, he led hunger strikes
for more government subsidies. In 1995, he was on Greenpeace's
Rainbow Warrior, protesting against French nuclear trials.
Since then, Bove has set his sights on genetically modified (GM)
crops, destroying a Novartis seed production facility and hijacking
a load of GM-grown corn. Bove spent three weeks in jail in 1999
for his part in the destruction of a branch of McDonald's.
Some – including France's Elle Magazine – have
criticised Bove, claiming he's not a real farmer but a trained
activist from California. He maintains his ideas are those of
the simple Frenchman – including, of course, the demand for 'good
food' above all.
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