Three more hurt running the bulls

7 July 2004

PAMPLONA – Three more people were injured Wednesday after the second day of the San Fermin bullfighting festival.

They were taken to hospital after the dramatic chase through the narrow streets of Pamplona, with the crowd of runners dressed in the traditional red and white of the fiesta dashing along ahead of five bulls.

None were seriously injured.

Eight were hurt Tuesday when the nine-day festival started, but again there were no serious injuries.

A few people every year are trampled and gored by the massive beasts on the race to the bullfighting arena – where the bulls are killed, much to the anger of animal welfare groups – and at least 14 deaths have been recorded since 1911.

The running of the bulls is the most famous feature of the nine-day festival, which this year is expected to attract some 1.5 million visitors and generate EUR 45 million in income for the north-eastern Spanish city.

This year, the tradition has been challenged by hundreds of animal rights activitists, who ran through the streets on Monday in their underwear after the local council prevented them from demonstrating naked.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) said the bull running was a cruel sport.

“Before being let loose in the streets of Pamplona the bulls are drugged and submitted to various acts of torture to frighten them,” Peta said in a statement.

Spain says the festival is no more cruel than dozens of other bullfight fiestas all over the country, but it is certainly the best known, with visitors from scores of countries.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news