The Spanish people host the first bullfight since the pandemic

VILLASECA DE LA SAGRA, SPAIN, September 5 (Reuters) – Ten bulls loaded the streets of Villaseca de la Sagra on Sunday in search of hundreds of runners, as the first bullfight was held in Spain since beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Towns and cities across Spain celebrate the holidays, but they were banned last year as the country imposed harsh health restrictions. Opposition in recent years has increased, as Spanish society continues to be divided over the controversial issue of the use of bulls for sport.

No one was injured during the first race in the country in this town of 1,700 inhabitants located 65 km south of Madrid.

In order to meet sanitary restrictions, up to 900 runners were allowed to run in front of the bulls every day during the festival from Sept. 5 to 12, the town hall said, while people were limited to 1,300 people for race.

“We were very excited. There were a lot of controls. If people respect the restrictions, we can do it all over Spain,” said Fernando Dominguez, 45, a market worker in Madrid.

A 2020 survey, published by the polling company Electomania, found that 47% of Spaniards supported the ban on bullfighting, while 18.6% opposed the ban and 37% s ‘he opposed bullfighting, but did not want it to be banned.

The bullfights take place after bullfights and also as independent events.

Reports by Guillermo Martinez, Sergio Pérez, Catherine Macdonald; written by Graham Keeley; edited by Philippa Fletcher

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