Protest against bullfighting in Madrid, Spain

26-05-2021

CAS International and AnimaNaturalis protested against bullfighting in the Spanish capital Madrid on May 9. After a period of 18 months without bullfights, the bloody spectacles returned to the city. On May 2, the first bullfight was held since the outbreak of COVID-19. And then the bullfighting season started with 11 more bullfights, during which 66 bulls were killed. Simply outrageous!

During this protest we asked the government not to give subsidies to the bullfighting sector. In addition, due to the outbreak of the coronavirus many bullfights have been cancelled, and the sector is demanding financial compensations. We asked the authorities not to give any support.

The situation in the autonomous region of Madrid will require extra attention and commitment from CAS in the coming years. This is because in May the regional elections took place, and the conservative party Partido Popular (PP) won them. Very bad news for the bulls, because the PP is firmly committed to protect bullfighting. But the PP goes a step further: the number one on the list was Isabel Díaz Ayuso, a bullfighting fanatic. Ayuso is the president of the autonomous region of Madrid.

Both in Spain and abroad, people label Ayuso as the Spanish Trump. She is a populist, very conservative and pursued an anti-lockdown policy during COVID-19. And she is intensely fond of bullfighting. So much that during the election she promised extra subsidies. In fact, bullfighting was used to gain extra votes. She promised that there would be bullfights in May, while the Spanish government indicated that there was no room for mass events because of corona. The bulls were used in a battle between the central government and regional authorities over corona policy.

Financial support

Ayuso has indicated that it is going to release one million euros annually for bullfights. We will continue our fight and ask the Spanish authorities not to give financial support to this bloody sector. This money would be better spent on health care. Furthermore, only 8% of Spaniards go to bullfighting. This means that 92% of the population does not go to bullfighting, but contributes to its preservation through their taxes. This sector receives millions of euros annually in subsidies.

We continue to put pressure on the Spanish government. In the coming months, we will protest in even more Spanish cities – when the Spanish coronas allow it. Keep an eye on our website for more news.

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