Balearic Islands: end of traditional bullfights

Today, the parliament of the Balearic Islands decided no to allow traditional bullfights any longer. On Monday July 24, a historical voting took place in Palma de Mallorca. Bullfighting itself is not prohibited, but regulated in a way that is it no longer feasible. Besides, circuses with animals have been prohibited altogether. Marius Kolff, director of CAS International, travelled to Spain to attend the voting at the Parliament of the Balearic Islands. CAS has, together with AnimalNaturalis and with the support of Humane Society International, worked for three years to achieve the end of bullfighting here, in the campaign Mallorca Sense Sang(Mallorca without Blood).

The bill by political parties PSIB, Més per Mallorca and Podemos has been approved with 33 votes in favor, 19 against and 2 abstentions. The bullfights themself are not prohibited, but the killing (during and after the event) or hurting of the bull is banned. The bull must return to the farm he comes from. Horses are no longer allowed in bullfights. The bullfighters and animals will be subjected to doping control. Moreover, the entrance of minors (under 18 years) is no longer allowed.

Prohibition in Catalonia
In 2016, the Spanish Constitutional Court decided that the states no longer have the authority to prohibit bullfighting. This decision was made four years after the prohibition of bullfighting in Catalonia. The Canary Islands already prohibited the death of the bull in 1991. Due to this sentence it is not possible to prohibit bullfighting in the Balearic Islands, but it remains possible to demand specific requirements. In this way the traditional bullfights with blood, as we know them, will disappear in the Balearic islands. Although the prohibition in Catalonia has been cancelled, the local authorities do not cooperate in facilitating new bullfights, and the state stays free of bullfights.

Mallorca Sense Sang
Thanks to the campaign Mallorca Sense Sang (Mallorca Without Blood), led by AnimaNaturalis and CAS and supported by HSI, 30 municipalities in Mallorca declared themselves against bullfighting. More than 360,000 signatures have been collected during this campaign. Another success of the campaign was the declaration against bullfighting  in 2015 by Palma de Mallorca, the capital of the state of the Balearic Islands. The campaign could count on support from society. Other organizations also battled for the end of bullfighting on the Balearic Islands. Now, finally, this has been achieved thanks to the work of many, among them LIBERA! Illes Balears, AVATMA, Fundación Franz Weber, Mercy for Animals and CoPPA.