More than 100 animal rights activists have taken to the streets of Pamplona, Spain to protest against bullfighting.
Campaigners from global animal rights charity PETA and Spanish animal-protection group AnimaNaturalis marched towards the Plaza Consistorial, holding signs saying: “Stop the Bloody Bullfights.”
The protestors – who were dressed as bulls and runners – shot blood-red flares as they marched to a drum beat.
‘Murderous spectacle’
PETA Director, Elisa Allen, said: “These 100-plus protesters represent the vast majority of people around the world, whose tolerance of the archaic, murderous spectacle of bullfighting ran out long ago.
“It’s time that Pamplona stopped allowing terrified bulls to be speared and stabbed to death for this form of so-called ‘entertainment’ that’s nothing more than bloodlust.”
‘Violent death’
The charity added that more than 100 Spanish towns and cities have banned bullfighting. “But in Pamplona, bulls are tormented with electric prods and sharp sticks before slipping and sliding along the narrow streets on their way to a violent death in the bullring,” it said.
Once there, as many as eight men taunt, beat, and jab each bull with daggers and harpoon-like banderillas until he becomes weakened from blood loss.
“Then, the matador stabs the exhausted animal with a sword and an executioner cuts his spinal cord. Many bulls are paralysed but still conscious as they’re chained and dragged out of the arena.”