SPAIN: Catalonia region is to go to the polls to decide the future of bullfighting

Record ID: 374812

  • Title: SPAIN: Catalonia region is to go to the polls to decide the future of bullfighting
  • Date: 27th July 2010
  • Summary: BARCELONA, SPAIN (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF FORMER BARCELONA BULL FIGHTING RING WHICH IS BEING CONVERTED INTO A SHOPPING MALL
  • Embargoed: 11th August 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Spain
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA4R98OT2S5ERS9QBGLORWHQQW6
  • Story Text: Bullfighting may become a thing of the past in Spain's Catalonia when the local parliament convenes on Wednesday (July 28) and votes on a region-wide ban.
    The latest debate follows a December vote triggered under Catalan law by a petition which drew 180,000 signatures calling for a ban, organised by animal activist association "Prou!" (Catalan for "Enough").
    Bullfighting has been losing popularity for some years in Barcelona and the northeastern region of Catalonia, which enjoys considerable autonomy and strongly promotes its own culture.
    "This is a way to mistreat them before it's their time to die. So I think it is a good thing, naturally. I'm from here, I'm Catalan but I don't agree with this bullfighting thing," said Catalan resident Eulalia Florencio.
    Many Spaniards remain passionately devoted to bullfighting and a top bullfighter can still pack Barcelona's the bullring with 19,000 spectators.
    "To take this, and ban bullfighting just like that, a fair that has been happening all my life. And now just like that they want to ban it. These people who want to ban it, if they don't like it then don't come. Here they don't force anyone to come. In truth, whoever wants to come here can and if you don't then fine," disagreed Jose, another Barcelona resident.
    However, crowds there generally have been dwindling and one Barcelona arena has already closed and is being converted into a shopping mall.
    The long standing tradition has also been drawing increased opposition from animal rights activists and intellectuals who consider it to be cruel.
    Nevertheless, the corrida retains a following in other parts of Spain, and big festivals each year in Sevilla, Madrid and Pamplona are packed. Leading matadors are treated as celebrities and major newspapers carry pages devoted to the day's events.
    Matador Jose Calvo said bullfighting was about art, tradition, culture and values.
    "This subject has been highly politicised in Catalonia. And you have to give it its right value to the fact that a man can be capable to confront a bull and create art. The value of the national fair relies on that," sad Calvo after a bullfight in the most famous ring in the world, Madrid's Las Ventas.
    Tourists who watched the fight said they were conflicted on the subject.
    "The bullfight was conflicting. I felt sad but excited. Exhilarated yet just felt really bad for the bull but it was an exciting experience," said one U.S. tourist Danielle.
    The debate in the Catalan parliament to put a stop to what Spaniards call the "corrida" has been seen by some Spanish nationalists as nothing more than provocation from a region where many want independence from Spain.
    If the ban goes ahead in Catalonia, animal rights activist, Alessandro Zara said they will try to call for bans in other Spanish regions.
    "I think we will see it. We will see it within our lifetime. One community after another will accept that bullfights are barbaric and have no place in a modern and ethical society," said Zara.
    Animal rights groups and anti-bullfighting campaigners cite a 2006 Gallup poll which showed that 72.1 percent of Spaniards were not interested in bullfights, a proportion which rose to 81.7 percent for those aged 15-24.
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