Huge Step Backwards as Catalonia’s Ban on Bullfighting Is Overturned
BREAKING: Spain’s Constitutional Court has just overturned Catalonia’s ban on bullfights.
This is a dark day for animals. The shameful decision undermines the will of the vast majority of Catalans, and could allow barbaric bullfights – in which terrified animals are slowly stabbed to death for ‘entertainment’ – to return to the region.
The court claimed that Catalonia doesn’t have the authority to ban an activity recognised by the central Spanish government as part of the country’s “cultural heritage”. But torture is not culture.
Support for bullfighting is dwindling across the whole of Spain. Since Catalonia became the second region to ban this violent spectacle outright in 2012 (following the Canary Islands in 1991), more and more local authorities across the country have followed suit.
This court ruling represents a huge step backwards, going against the current of public opinion in Spain and undoing vital progress against cruelty to animals. It’s deeply disappointing that the interests of the tiny, reactionary pro-bullfighting lobby have been given precedence over values of compassion and progress.
Take Action
We’ll be doing everything we can to challenge the decision, working closely with activists and anti-bullfighting groups on the ground in Spain. Watch this space for updates.
Right now, you can send a quick email to Spain’s Constitutional Court at [email protected], to politely let officials know how disappointed you are by their misguided decision.
