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Daniel Ochoa de Olza/AP/Press Association Images

Catalonia marks final day of bullfighting ahead of ban

A ban on Spain’s traditional bullfights takes effect in the north-eastern region on 1 January 2012.

SPAIN’S POWERFUL north-eastern region of Catalonia bids farewell Sunday to the country’s emblematic tradition of bullfighting with a final bash at the Barcelona bullring.

The sold-out evening event at the 20,000-seat Monumental ring is the last fight scheduled this season. A regional ban on the bloody pastime takes effect 1 January, 2012.

Bullfighting’s popularity in Catalonia has plunged in recent decades and the Monumental is its last functioning ring.

The Catalan Parliament banned the spectacle in July 2010 following a signature-collection campaign by animal rights activists, but critics say the ban is less about animal welfare and more a snub to Spain by independence-minded Catalans.

Hours before the fight, a small group of anti-bullfight activists gathered outside the arena, celebrating with sparkling wine.

“Obviously a lot of political parties have tried to politicise this, but we mustn’t forget that this popular proposal sprouted from a pure pro-animal rights standpoint aimed at eradicating animal cruelty,” campaigner Soraya Gaston said.

Nearby, people lined up to try buying last-minute tickets.

‘An attack on liberty’

“It looks like this may be the last day [of bullfights in Catalonia]. But the last word hasn’t been said yet,” said fan Eduardo Edurna. “I think we will have bullfighting back in Catalonia.”

The prohibition caused a furor and triggered a nationwide debate over the centuries-old spectacle that inspired such artists and writers as Goya, Picasso and Hemingway.

“Banning bullfighting in Catalonia is nothing more than an attack on liberty,” said Carlos Nunez, president of Spain’s Mesa del Toro pro-bullfighting umbrella group. “It’s the fruit of policies in Catalonia against bullfighting and all that is seen to represent Spain.”

Although mostly symbolic — the Monumental staged only some 15 fights a year — the prohibition sent bullfighting supporters frantically looking for ways to overturn the decision or at least make sure it doesn’t spread to other regions.

Spain’s leading conservative opposition Popular Party — tipped to win general elections in November — has appealed the ban before the Constitutional Court, while its Catalan branch is battling for a delay in the implementation of the ban.

Meanwhile, the Mesa del Toro is seeking 500,000 signatures in the hope it can persuade the Madrid national parliament to grant bullfighting cultural heritage status.

Animal rights activists, meanwhile, are triumphant.

“It’s like a crack has developed in the armor plating (of bullfighting). It’s a small crack but the protective shield might crumble altogether,” said Leonardo Anselmi, a key promoter of the Catalan prohibition.

Catalonia is the second of Spain’s 17 regions to ban bullfighting. The Canary Islands outlawed the practice in 1991 although it had never been a popular tradition there.

For the moment, however, there are no signs any other Spanish region will follow suit.

The practice was once immensely popular in Barcelona and other Catalan towns but its decline began with the end of the dictatorship of Francisco Franco in 1978 and the subsequent rise in Catalan nationalism and a rejection of things deemed Spanish.

Sunday’s fight stars Spain’s No.1 matador Jose Tomas.

Following the second-to-last fight Saturday, hundreds of bullfight supporters chanted “Catalonia is pro-bullfighting” as they accompanied the matadors to their hotel.

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13 Comments
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    Mute Michael Campbell
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    Sep 25th 2011, 1:30 PM

    Horrible sport and then when they have drawn blood and tortured the poor creature they go to mass Sick

    65
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    Mute Rachael M
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    Sep 25th 2011, 1:57 PM

    Good riddance to it, barbaric "sport"

    59
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    Mute Jason Doyle
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    Sep 25th 2011, 3:04 PM

    About time.

    40
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    Mute Mata Mata
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    Sep 25th 2011, 3:29 PM

    Here here !

    26
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    Mute Diari Liffey
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    Sep 25th 2011, 3:33 PM

    One step more towards independence. Thanks God they are banning this.
    The problem is not because it’s an Spanish tradition, it’s because apart from being a complete shame, Spanish traditions in Catalonia have always been imposed by force and that usually creates a rejection. Catalonia has its own traditions and culture, it does not need anybody to go there and replace them as some have been trying to do during the last 300 years..

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    Mute RG Cuan
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    Sep 25th 2011, 6:14 PM

    Maith thú, visca la terra!

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    Mute Jeff
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    Sep 26th 2011, 10:28 AM

    I am all for Catalonia independence as it means Shelbourne FC will get to play Barcelona FC in the qualifying rounds of champions league more often.

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    Mute Ryan Coughlin
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    Sep 26th 2011, 12:45 AM

    You people are upset that this bull’s life gets ended in a quick 45 minute flurry? Sounds much nicer than living in a small crowded pen his entire life to get butchered and fed to some unthinking human. At least this bull got to live a somewhat natural existence outside with proper food and freedom.

    People always want to blame the OTHER guy for his mistakes. But the fact is, if you’re eating meat, you’re responsible for a whole heap of more animal cruelty, not to mention that meat is 1/4th part of the man-made CO2 today, and a big part in forest destruction.

    Frankly, this vegetarian would be happy letting the Spanish choose what to do with their (infrequently practiced) tradition, and then to ban all factory farms worldwide.

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    Mute Richard Fennessy
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    Sep 26th 2011, 8:08 AM

    quick 45 mins go visit a farm they live in fields not pens and the killing takes 2-5 seconds

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    Mute Ryan Coughlin
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    Sep 27th 2011, 2:33 AM

    Hi Richard.

    Quickly do a Google search. The amount of meat consumed on the planet that comes from traditional, non-factory farms is considerably less than 50%. And the proportion of non-factory animals in the world is decreasing per day.

    I imagine that most of us have never seen a steel mill, but it doesn’t mean that my metal products have come from a blacksmith.

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    Mute Richard Fennessy
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    Sep 25th 2011, 11:31 PM

    shame shame on the sickos who give thumbs down to this shameful blood thirsty evil scum i hope ye dont have kids r pets

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    Mute Diari Liffey
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    Sep 25th 2011, 7:40 PM

    Some pictures of this afternoon shame http://bit.ly/rjE7bl

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    Mute Jeff
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    Sep 26th 2011, 10:30 AM

    Bull fighting is no more cruel than Halal meat & dead a lot quicker and less painful.

    2
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