WATCH: Drunk Spanish man rides a donkey through village in Caceres

A DRUNK man has been videoed riding a donkey through the village of Villanueva de la Vera, Caceres. 

The act, which is part of the Peropalo festival celebrating the similar procession of a convicted rapist who was dragged through the town, has been denounced by animal rights groups.

Bernabé the donkey, was forced through the packed, cobbled streets of the village while throngs of people surrounded the animal.

Representatives from the UK based animal welfare charity, The Donkey Sanctuary and their Spanish branch, El Refugio del Burrito attended the event to collect evidence of the donkey’s suffering.

The Donkey Sanctuary’s Dawn Vincent said: “I understand there is a tradition that the people of Villanueva de la Vera wish to celebrate but the need to include a donkey in the event is utterly unnecessary.”

The evidence collected by the welfare groups, along with a petition will be presented to the regional government of Extremadura.