28 Jul

Bullfighting banned in Catalonia from 2012

Today, the Catalan parliament today approved a ban on bullfighting that is due to come into force on 1st January 2012. It was deemed cruel by the parliament, 68 of whom were in favour of the ban and 55 against.

If you are not aware of what bullfighting is, it’s when a matador (or bullfighter) and his entourage use capes, lances and darts to subdue the bull which is killed at close quarters with a sword. The fight often lasts 10 minutes or so until the bull is exhausted, then the matador puts it out of its misery with a final thrust of the sword into its heart.

For the first time in over 1200 years, Bullfighting sees a ban in mainland Spain

This is the first decision of its type on mainland Spain and sees this iconic, centuries-old spectacle (bullfighting dates back to 711 when the first bullfight took place in celebration for the crowning of King Alfonso VIII) come to a close. The ban was actually brought about by a citizen petition (180k Catalans), which raised the issue of animal cruelty and unnecessary suffering, a view that was also celebrated by U.S. Nobel laureate Ernest Hemingway in the book “Death in the Afternoon.”

The activists have now vowed to do the same across the remainder of Spain and it is quite likely other parliaments will follow suit.

The sport has been experiencing a steady decline over the past decade due mainly to increasing awareness of animal rights amongst the general public.

What do you think about banning bullfighting – Is Spain losing an iconic piece of heritage or gaining respect from the rest of the world for highlighting its awareness of animal rights?