Absolute rejection to the bull of fire

Soria. – Groups of animal welfare defenders presented recently in the registrar of the Community of Castile and León, in Soria. They presented more than 7,000 signatures from people from 90 different countries protesting against the “celebration” of the ‘toro de jubilo’ in Medinaceli, the only example of the ‘bull of fire’ spectacle that survives in Castilla, La Mancha. More than 150 demonstrators came to the Castilian capital – from Leon, Bilbao, Logroño, Madrid and Valladolid to support the delivery of the signatures, which were gathered in just three weeks. Demonstrators displayed banners against the animal maltreatment with such mottos as “Stop bullfights” and “Bullfighting – national shame” and read a manifesto urging changes to these traditions that serve only to cause pain and meaningless suffering. In Santa Barbara, (Tarragona), the bulls of fire’ celebration has been denounced, on the grounds that these cruel acts have nothing to do with “tradition”, which is the only justification accepted within the Catalan animal protection laws. Additionally, according to animal defence sources, a denouncement has been presented before the Territorial Services of Games and Spectacles for the Ebro region in the south of Catalonia. The denunciation is accompanied with a recording carried out with GPS technology that shows the exact places and dates of the events. In this way, those working on behalf of the animals can ensure that the territorial Delegate of the Generality of Catalonia cannot ignore the denunciation, since the images recorded on the DVD are incontravertable evidence of the spectacles that may be concretely identified in terms of time and place and so constitute valid and verifiable documentary evidence. Animal defenders have also presented an optional appeal for restoration from the archives of a denunciation presented against a bullfighting act in Alcanar (Tarragona).

Let us hope that these odious traditions will be eradicated once and for all since, far from contributing to our evolution as human beings, they distance us from the peace that we will only find when we can show respect to animals.