World News Spain’s controversial bull run festival under way Blog

by
url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url

The Sanfermín festival, known for the running of the bulls, began in Pamplona with the launch of a chupinazo rocket from the balcony of the town hall.

Tens of thousands of spectators crowded the square on Saturday, most of them dressed in traditional white, waving red scarves and shouting “Viva San Fermín”.

Spanish state television RTVE broadcast the ceremony of this increasingly controversial but popular event live.

“I am very moved. My father always watched this on television and dreamed of being here one day. He didn’t make it and is no longer with us. I am here for him,” a Mexican woman, moved to tears, told RTVE.

The first of eight bull runs will take place starting Sunday.

The festival is dedicated to the patron saint of Pamplona and dates back to the end of the 16th century.

While the Sanfermín festival also includes numerous concerts and processions, the bull runs and bullfights are the highlight of the festivities.

Every day between Sunday 7 and 14 July, hundreds of people chase six huge bulls, some weighing over 600 kilograms, and several oxen through the narrow streets of the city to an arena where bullfights take place in the evening.

Every year, several people are injured while running the 875-meter-long route.

No harm is done to the animals.

Animal rights activists have been protesting against the bull runs for years and calling them “medieval cruelty.”

Nevertheless, the festival continues to attract thousands of visitors from all over the world, especially from Europe, Australia, Asia and the USA.

Leave a Comment