Spain’s Bullfighting ‘Cultural Heritage’ Could be Revoked
Spanish animal protection groups delivered 715,606 signatures to the Electoral Commission as part of the “No Es Mi Cultura” (It Is Not My Culture) citizen’s initiative, which seeks to repeal a 2013 law designating bullfighting as “cultural heritage.” Because the initiative, supported by PETA, far exceeded the minimum threshold of 500,000 signatures, the Spanish Congresses must officially consider repealing the law.
This is significant because bullfighting’s current cultural heritage status leads to government funding for the blood sport and prevents Spanish municipalities from banning these cruel spectacles.
Roland Bos
Spanish Bullfights
Every year, tens of thousands of bulls are killed in bullfighting events in Spain alone. In the bullring, assailants on horses drive lances into a bull’s back and neck before others plunge banderillas into his back, inflicting acute pain whenever he turns his head and impairing his range of motion. Eventually, when the bull becomes weak from blood loss, a matador appears and attempts to kill the animal by plunging a sword into his lungs. A knife is used to cut his spinal cord. The bull may be paralysed but still conscious as his ears or tail are cut off and presented to the matador as a trophy, and his body is dragged from the arena.
Bullfighting is Cruelty – Not Culture
The success of this citizen-led campaign makes it clear that Spanish people want to end bloody bullfights. This initiative brings us closer to these archaic events being relegated to the history books.
Research shows that nearly 8 out of 10 Spaniards oppose the use of animals in bullfights. More than 125 Spanish towns and cities have declared themselves against bullfighting. Spain’s largest newspaper, El País, and TV channel, Canal Toros, have stopped covering it due to the change in public sentiment and a general lack of interest.
What You Can Do
From speaking out against Spain’s bullfights to urging Pope Francis to condemn the archaic blood sport, you can help bulls by using PETA’s action page.
