Catalonia bans bullfighting

For another Spanish region, bullfighting is coming to an end. On Sunday, the last, very unlucky bulls, met their demise in a Barcelona arena. The ban has been long sought by animal rights activists and has gained popularity as a nationalist issue. 

BARCELONA, SPAIN (Catholic Online) - On Sunday, bullfighters killed six bulls in the ring in what was the last scheduled bullfight of the year. On January 1, a regional ban on bullfighting will take effect. No further bullfights are scheduled for this year throughout in the Catalonia region of Spain, after a campaign by animal rights activists to end the practice gained political popularity.

While bullfighting has a long and storied tradition, going back hundreds of years, modern activists have condemned the fight for its cruelty. Many supporters of the activity assert that it is a traditional form of art, with great cultural and historic significance. 

The practice of bullfighting involves several individuals, and not just a single fighter, as is sometimes assumed. Throughout the fight, the bullfighter and his assistants lance the bull repeatedly to weaken and enrage the animal. The bullfighter also encourages the beast to charge several times, not only for show, but also to assess the animal's tendencies. Once the bullfighter has a good idea of how the bull charges, he can accurately deliver single, killing thrust with a sword to end the fight. In some traditional practices, the meat of the animal was used to feed the poor. 

The campaign to end bullfighting was started over concerns regarding cruelty, but it gained popularity as a political issue. The people of Catalonia, who prefer to emphasize their cultural divide with Spain, have stood  the practice as both cruel and as distinctly Spanish. By supporting a ban on the activity, Catalonians have been able to emphasize their disdain for the Spanish government while promoting Catalan nationalism. 

Still, not everyone is opposed to bullfighting. The ban itself is under legal appeal in the Spanish courts. 

Bullfighting has waned in Spain in recent years, particularly as the financial crisis has developed. Surveys have shown a markedly decreased national interest in the event. Between 2007 and 2010, the number of bullfights in Spain has decreased by about one-third. And in January, the leading national broadcaster announced they would no longer televise bullfights as a means of protecting children from violence on TV.

Regardless of why the activity has declined, and why the ban has been passed, it is still being hailed as a victory for animal rights activists--and the animals they try hard to protect.

---

'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'