Spanish activists cheer bullfighting ban
- 13 years ago
Animal rights activists cheer the end of bullfighting in Barcelona, Spain.
The city will have its last fight Sunday before a regional law banning the sport takes effect in January.
SOUNDBITE) (Catalan) ANIMANATURALIS DIRECTOR, AIDA GASCON, SAYING:
"We cheer today because we are happy this is the end of bullfighting in Catalonia. But we are dressed in black because six bulls are going to die this evening in La Monumental and six other animals died yesterday. And 12.000 will be killed all over Spain in the next year at celebrations, arenas, etcetera."
But some mourned the end of the centuries-old tradition as they queued to buy their last tickets.
(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BULLFIGHTING FAN, JUAN, SAYING:
"I think it is bad, it is pitiful that they want to abolish bullfighting after so many years of tradition here and with the crowds it gathers. It is sad, it is very,very sad."
20,000 people were expected to fill the historic La Monumental arena for the performance.
Catalonia is the second Spanish region to ban the sport after the Canary Islands in 1991.
Lindsey Parietti, Reuters
The city will have its last fight Sunday before a regional law banning the sport takes effect in January.
SOUNDBITE) (Catalan) ANIMANATURALIS DIRECTOR, AIDA GASCON, SAYING:
"We cheer today because we are happy this is the end of bullfighting in Catalonia. But we are dressed in black because six bulls are going to die this evening in La Monumental and six other animals died yesterday. And 12.000 will be killed all over Spain in the next year at celebrations, arenas, etcetera."
But some mourned the end of the centuries-old tradition as they queued to buy their last tickets.
(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BULLFIGHTING FAN, JUAN, SAYING:
"I think it is bad, it is pitiful that they want to abolish bullfighting after so many years of tradition here and with the crowds it gathers. It is sad, it is very,very sad."
20,000 people were expected to fill the historic La Monumental arena for the performance.
Catalonia is the second Spanish region to ban the sport after the Canary Islands in 1991.
Lindsey Parietti, Reuters