Fine for children’s participation in festival with fire bull

21-02-2023

Two children participated in a festival with fire bulls in the autonomous region of Valencia, Spain. CAS International and AnimaNaturalis filed charges against this. As a result, the organizers of the festival and the children’s parents were fined. Indeed, the participation of minors under 16 in bull festivals is prohibited in Valencia.

The event took place in 2022, in the municipality of Náquera. AnimaNaturalis and CAS filed charges against the municipality of Náquera, the organizers of the festival and the parents of the minors. They are two children, ages 9 and 10, who, accompanied by one of their parents, participated when the bull’s horns were set on fire.

Torch

During events with fire bulls, a flammable material is attached to the horns. While the festival participants subdued the bull, the children were handed a torch to light the flammable material. See the second tweet below for footage of the moment the minors participate in the event.

[10/12] Nàquera (Valencia, 21 agosto)

▶️ Una imprudencia muy peligrosa se ha llevado por delante el final de las fiestas en este municipio, dos menores encendieron las astas de un toro. Son imágenes para la VERGÜENZA.

📹 @informativost5 pic.twitter.com/XD74njqjQX

— David Calvo (@davidcalvoarq) August 27, 2022

Thanks to our report, sanctions have been imposed on four individuals. They are held responsible for allowing the minors to participate in the bull festival. According to the regulations of the autonomous region Comunidad Valenciana, the fine falls between 601 and 30,000 euros. In this case, 6,000 euros fine was imposed on the organizers of the festival, and 3,000 euros on each parent of the minors.

From CAS and AnimaNaturalis, we are satisfied that fines have been imposed. However, we feel that the amount of the fine is disproportionate to the severity of the offense. The children were very close to the bull, and if it had been released too soon, the children’s lives would have been in danger.

Subsidies

Bull festivals of this kind receive municipal, regional and national subsidies. Agricultural subsidies from the European Union partially finance the breeding of bulls. It is estimated that a total of 629 million euros of subsidy goes to bullfighting and festivals with bulls in Spain. 130 million comes indirectly from agricultural subsidies from the European Union.

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