Animal activists file complaints over Toro de la Vega security failures

The confrontation between supporters and opponents of the annual Toro de la Vega bull hunt, which is held every September 15 in Tordesillas (Valladolid), has moved up a notch.

Representatives of Pacma, a small political party that champions animal rights, have filed two administrative complaints against organizers of last week’s hunt for allegedly creating a safety hazard.

The complaints were filed on Monday at the Interior Ministry, which could issue administrative sanctions if the claims are deemed valid.

We will not stop until this celebration is abolished”

Pacma activists

The activists are questioning the organizers’ decision to release the bull Rompesuelas from its pen despite the presence of a human chain formed by protestors trying to prevent the hunt from taking place.

“Several regulations say that, if the security of those present is compromised, the event has to be postponed or suspended,” says Sabina Sánchez, a lawyer for Pacma who filed the claims.

The half-ton animal was let loose while activists were still within the hunt circuit – one person had even chained himself to a traffic sign and was unable to get away. The complaints also hold that reporters were prevented from “freely” covering the story.

EL PAÍS was present at the event and confirmed that hunt organizers released Rompesuelas despite a radio warning from the Civil Guard that two groups of protestors were inside the hunt circuit and had blocked one section of it.

During the confrontation, supporters of the hunt assaulted a television cameraman and tried to pressure a photographer into deleting the pictures he had taken and handing over his memory card.

“They should have evacuated it before releasing the animal,” says Sánchez. “Or if that was not feasible because there were too many people, they should have suspended [the event]. We will not stop until this celebration is abolished.”

The bull hunt was ultimately held but declared void by organizers because several rules were violated, including the prohibition of spearing the animal from behind.

English version by Susana Urra.