Today Catalonia can take a momentous step forward in finally banning one of the most barbaric aspects of Spanish culture. I used to live next to the bull fighting ring in Monumental and it was clear that for many years, it had nothing to do with “culture”. It’s mainly used a grotesque tourist attraction that attracts well dressed visitors – both foreign and Spanish – by the coach load. Protests against events at the ring were frequent with animal rights protesters standing outside the main ticket booths loudly voicing their objection to the fights. After today’s vote, hopefully they won’t need to anymore.
The only reason bullfighting has survived this long in Catalonia is because it’s still a corruption riddled big business. I covered this a few years ago in an article (Animal Tragic: Animal Rights and Wrongs in Spain):
The price of a fighting bull is around €10,000 and bullfighting is a big money spinner in terms of TV advertising revenue, ticket sales and sponsorship etc. According to British animal rights activist Vicki Moore, bullfighting is also riddled with corruption because, “All the mayor has to do is sign a cheque with municipal money and in-turn receives a nice kickback. There is a lot of money involved and that is why it is growing.”
It should be no surprise that Catalonia is likely to be the first to ban bullfighting. It has consistently taken the firmest stance in Spain in regards to cruelty to animals:
It was the first region to introduce a law against animal cruelty in 1988 which raised fines to as much as €20,000 although bullfighting was excluded. In 2004, a survey by the WSPA and the ADDA found that over 80% of Catalans believe that bullfights are a cruel and unjustified event. In 2005, a significant step forward was taken by Barcelona City Council which stated Barcelona was an “anti-bullfighting” city. Although it did not mean the spectacle was banned in the city, it indicates that Catalonia will be the first region to put an official end to centuries of cruelty.
Five years after Barcelona City Council declared Barcelona an “anti-bullfighting” city, it will surely ban it for good today.
The vote was always going to be close, but the Catalan parliament just banned bullfighting. Great News!!!!
Thanks for the update Tom. That is really a fantastic symbolic step forward for Catalonia.
I am sorry: it is a factual step forward for Catalonia, its inherent symbolism applies to the rest of the world. And I hope it has an effect there.
Bullfighting is a beautiful tradition and in no way more barbaric than boxing. I’m amazed by people’s desire to police other cultures and condemn them for being different in any way from the hegemonic “norm.”
The reason why Catalonia bans bullfighting at this particular moment has nothing to do with “animal cruelty.” It has to do with yet another round of Catalonian identity construction.
Clarissa, Catalonia has been leading the way in animal rights in Spain for many years. This decision has been a long time in the pipeline although there’s no doubt that the timing of it – coming so soon after the independence march – has raised eyebrows.
As regards “policing” a culture, opposition to bullfighting has nothing to do with that. It’s a simple question of whether you believe in animal rights or not.
And by the way, bullfighting is more barbaric than boxing – at least both boxers are on equal footing from the start of a boxing match unlike bulls which are stabbed and drugged before the bullfight even starts. Stab and drug the matadors first, and then maybe you can make a comparison.
@Clarissa – the motion to remove the exception in Catalan animal rights law that was granted to bullfighting was not one created by Reagrupament or Esquerra Republicana. It was a popular initiative and was ONLY about the prevention of cruelty.
I don’t know if you’ve ever seen a bullfight. I have. It’s pretty unpleasant. It’s far more barbaric than boxing and to say otherwise is to deny an obvious truth.
Nick used to live here in Barcelona, and he has written extensively on the city, as well as about Catalonia and Spain. I’ve been a permanent resident here for 8 years, work here, speak Spanish and Catalan, and feel like an integrated member of Spanish and Catalan society. I was born elsewhere, but I feel I have a right to say what I think is and isn’t right about my adopted homeland. This is not about ‘policing’ other cultures, at least no more than it is to expect all modern countries to accept certain standards in law, human rights and the rights of animals to humane treatment.