Bullfighting Banned (excellent news) - 28th Jul 2010 1:50pm
Spain's Catalonia region has consigned bullfighting to the history books as the local parliament voted to ban the traditional spectacle.
Opinion on bullfighting is split in Spain
Campaigners have been upping their protests by confronting matadors inside the ring as they face the raging bulls.
They have even stripped off to stage naked demonstrations.
According to its detractors, the traditionalists who enjoy bullfighting are actually practising an outdated and barbaric form of entertainment.
Opinion in Spain is split. In some areas, spectator levels have been consistently falling; elsewhere big new arenas are being built to keep up with demand.
One community after another will accept bullfights are barbaric and have no place in a modern and ethical society.
Equanimal's Alessandro Zara
At 67, Frank Evans is Britain's - and possibly the world's - oldest bullfighter.
He said Catalonia's decision to ban the bullfight is linked to its desire to be separate from Spanish traditions.
Known in Spain as El Ingles, he told Sky News: "Catalonia is a very individual place... Their resentment of all things Spanish goes back to the days when they were persecuted by Franco."
The vote was triggered after a petition was signed by 180,000 Catalans. It was organised by a campaign group called Prou! - which means Enough!
The decision has raised the hopes of protesters who would like to see a complete ban even though bullfighting exists far beyond Spanish borders in France, Portugal, Mexico, Venezuela and Colombia.
Alessandro Zara, from Spanish animal rights group Equanimal, said a worldwide ban would one day be a reality.
He said: "We will see it on our lifetime.
"One community after another will accept bullfights are barbaric and have no place in a modern and ethical society."
Now Catalans have voted to outlaw bullfighting, it is expected to disappear in the region by 2012.
Sky News
Opinion on bullfighting is split in Spain
Campaigners have been upping their protests by confronting matadors inside the ring as they face the raging bulls.
They have even stripped off to stage naked demonstrations.
According to its detractors, the traditionalists who enjoy bullfighting are actually practising an outdated and barbaric form of entertainment.
Opinion in Spain is split. In some areas, spectator levels have been consistently falling; elsewhere big new arenas are being built to keep up with demand.
One community after another will accept bullfights are barbaric and have no place in a modern and ethical society.
Equanimal's Alessandro Zara
At 67, Frank Evans is Britain's - and possibly the world's - oldest bullfighter.
He said Catalonia's decision to ban the bullfight is linked to its desire to be separate from Spanish traditions.
Known in Spain as El Ingles, he told Sky News: "Catalonia is a very individual place... Their resentment of all things Spanish goes back to the days when they were persecuted by Franco."
The vote was triggered after a petition was signed by 180,000 Catalans. It was organised by a campaign group called Prou! - which means Enough!
The decision has raised the hopes of protesters who would like to see a complete ban even though bullfighting exists far beyond Spanish borders in France, Portugal, Mexico, Venezuela and Colombia.
Alessandro Zara, from Spanish animal rights group Equanimal, said a worldwide ban would one day be a reality.
He said: "We will see it on our lifetime.
"One community after another will accept bullfights are barbaric and have no place in a modern and ethical society."
Now Catalans have voted to outlaw bullfighting, it is expected to disappear in the region by 2012.
Sky News
