A bull jumps in the water during the traditional running of bulls ‘Bous a la mar’ (Bull in the sea) at Denia’s harbour near Alicante, Spain, on Monday.
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Take the bull by its horns
Revellers grab a bull in the water during the traditional running of bulls.
The tradition comes following the second day of a controversial festival in Pamplona, northern Spain that’s been slammed by animal rights activists and seen at least 10 people injured.
AFP
Of all the traditions surrounding the world of bullfighting, the ‘rejoneo” — mounted bullfighting — is among the least understood.
Those who love it consider it a skilled art form. Others see it as a cruel and bloody crime for the sake of entertainment.
Some also believe that the ‘rejoneador’, mounted on a horse and armed with his lance, takes a more cowardly approach to bullfighting compared to the traditional matador, who faces his victim-to-be on foot.
AFP
Hundreds of runners with varying degrees of fitness and hours of sleep race ahead of or next to the bulls charging through a cobblestone and barricaded street course to Pamplona’s bullring. Records dating back to 1910 record 16 deaths from the event.
This time, three Spanish runners, including a 19-year-old woman, and a 48-year-old American citizen, were bruised and treated at hospitals.
Another man was stabbed in the back with a bull’s horn and treated on the spot, a Red Cross spokesperson said.
AFP
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Tradition vs restriction
While pro-bullfighting groups have fought against restrictions, getting the tradition protected under Unesco’s cultural heritage list, fights are still on the decline.
