PERU: Anti-bullfighting protesters clash with police outside the Americas' oldest bullring

Record ID: 375654

  • Title: PERU: Anti-bullfighting protesters clash with police outside the Americas' oldest bullring
  • Date: 28th October 2013
  • Summary: LIMA, PERU (OCTOBER 27, 2013) (REUTERS) HUNDREDS OF ANTI-BULLFIGHTING ACTIVISTS MARCHING THROUGH STREETS TOWARD PLAZA DE ACHO PROTESTERS ARRIVING AT PLAZA DE ACHO PROTESTERS HOLDING POSTERS AND CHANTING OUTSIDE PLAZA DE ACHO RIOT POLICE STANDING IN FRONT OF PROTESTERS, PROTESTERS PUSHING AND TEAR GAS GOING OFF IN CROWD WATER CANNON FIRING WATER AT PROTESTERS POLICE THROW
  • Embargoed: 12th November 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Peru
  • Country: Peru
  • Topics: Politics,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA56GDRC98HOLVBDVVG369NWAHJ
  • Story Text: Clashes broke out in Peru on Sunday (October 27) after activists protesting against bullfighting faced off with police outside the country's main bullring, The Plaza de Acho.
    Carrying posters and chanting, hundreds of protesters marched to the Lima bullring to protest the opening day of bullfighting season for the traditional Senor de los Milagros fair.
    As they rallied outside the Plaza de Acho, riot police threw tear gas and fired water cannon at them.
    "The police is becoming abusive toward us and they are throwing tear gas when this is a peaceful march," said one activist.
    "The police are abusive. They don't let people talk. I've knifed no one. These are false statements," said a protester who was being detained by authorities for allegedly attacking a police officer.
    Some protesters made it past security and entered the bullring but were quickly turned away.
    "We went down to the bullring with a banner that said 'Compassion and Justice for Bulls' and they grabbed us and beat us," said one man with a bloody face.
    A steady stream of bullfighting fans walked past the protesters, dismissing their concerns.
    "They (the protesters) have nothing better to do," said one man who was taking his family to see the event.
    "They should go defend the dolphins who are being exterminated," said a Peruvian woman as she entered the plaza.
    Dating back to 1765, the Plaza de Acho is the oldest bullring in the Americas and hosts Peru's largest bullfighting event. Fought to the death on consecutive Sundays, the bullfights begin in late October and run through December.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register