Bulls over 600 kilos – many Spaniards are only lucky enough to escape the sharp horns: already 15 people were injured in a bull hunt in Pamplona

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During the third chase, there were sometimes dangerous scenes as several bulls fell to the sidewalk despite anti-skid devices, lost contact with the herd and disoriented attacked runners in the narrow streets. While one bull tried to grab a man directly in front of him, another runner was able to distract the bull at the last moment by pulling hard on the tail from behind.

Animal rights activists complain that the bull hunt is really nothing more than a panic flight for the animals by the crowd that is completely unknown to them. It is animal cruelty that must be stopped immediately.

Multiple deaths

The centuries-old festival in honor of the city saint San Fermín started Thursday and ends next Friday. Every day in the early morning six fighting bulls, some weighing more than 600 kilos, and some tame lead oxen are driven through the narrow streets of the old town to the bullring. Bullfights take place here in the evenings.

Every year dozens of runners are injured during the courage tests of the predominantly young men over the 825 meter long track. There have been 16 fatalities since 1924, the last in 2009. There are eight runs in total.

State television RTVE and other broadcasters will broadcast the rides, which each take about three minutes, live every morning from 8 a.m. over the approximately 825-meter stretch. There are also special programs, some of which last several hours.

The details of each run, of which there will be eight in total by next Friday, will be discussed in detail, just like football matches. Which bull was particularly dangerous on which corner of the house, which runner got into trouble where, managed to skilfully get to safety at the last moment – or was just run over by a bull.

Short life

On each hunt, six bulls from a breeding farm – led by tame oxen – are driven to the arena, where they give the last great performance of their short lives in the evening. Each bull has a name, its fighting weight is highlighted, its courage and aggressiveness is recognized and the breeding it comes from is praised. Even the quality of the lead oxen is discussed at length.

If they are too slow, dangerous traffic jams form in the narrow streets, if they are too fast, the spectacle is either too short and boring, or a bull misses the connection – and then it becomes dangerous like on Sundays.

The festival in honor of the city saint San Fermín has existed since 1591. The American writer Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) wrote about it in his novel “Fiesta” (1926), which still attracts many tourists from North America to the day today. Several of the injured were US citizens, the Europa Press news agency reported. This year, tourists from Asia traveled to Corona for the first time, tour operator Mikel Ollo reports to the online medium OKdiario. For the city, the festival means revenues of up to 100 million euros. (SDA/gf)

Source: Blick