ACTIVISTS from around the world gathered in Pamplona’s main square today, ahead of the ‘Running of the Bulls’ at the annual San Fermín festival.

Wearing the event’s famous white-and-red costumes and with their faces painted to look like the Grim Reaper, the protesters displayed “bloody” hands and multilingual signs that read, “You Run – Bulls Die” – a message to festivalgoers that the same bulls who slip and slide down Pamplona’s cobbled streets will all be stabbed to death in the town’s bullring.

“Many of the tourists who come to Pamplona to run with the bulls have no idea that they are participating in a festival that celebrates the torture and death of these magnificent animals, and if they did, most would undoubtedly run the other way”, says PETA campaign coordinator Kirsty Henderson. “We’re here to ask thrill seekers to find another way to get their kicks that doesn’t involve harming animals.”

PETA claim that bullfighting has been on the decline, with attendance decreasing and bullrings closing across countries that permit bullfights and the industry survives only because of huge subsidies and tourists who unwittingly fuel the events.

A recent poll showed that 76 per cent of Spanish people have no interest in bullfights.

Subscribe to the Olive Press

11 COMMENTS

  1. People need to know that the bulls are killed after they run at Pamplona.

    It’s not all just jolly japes for tourists risking a goring.

    Bring on a new way of thinking in Spain asap.

    The Spanish youth will change things.

  2. Any one that supports or paticipates in the running of bulls is supporting and condoning animal cruelty. It is a shameful spectacle that has no place in decent society. If humans want excitement and danger they can do something that doesn’t involve animals. Stop hurting animals just because you can.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.