• Xàbia & Ondara limit bull spectacles, Xirivella & Roses prohibit altogether •
Proponents of bull-running and bull-baiting in local festivals in Spain have suffered several defeats in the past week, with two towns in Valencia’s Marina Alta region moving to prohibit the controversial bou embolat and bou encaixonat events in local festivals, while the Valencia suburb of Xirivella and the city of Roses in Catalonia both voted to bar events involving the use of bulls in any way.
The mayors of the Marina Alta towns of Ondara and Xàbia have both cited cruelty to the animals in halting bou embolat and bou encaixonat bull-baiting events as part of the towns’ local festivals, though each town will continue with their bous al carrer bull-running and Xàbia’s bous al mar (‘bulls in the sea’) spectacle during local festivals. In nearby Pedreguer, where a French tourist died last July after being gored during a bous al carrer, a move is also underway to limit the use of bulls in festivities.
Meanwhile, the mayor of the Valencian suburb of Xirivella announced an end to local bous al carrer events after 53.4 percent of locals voting in a straw poll came out against the spectacle, while the the city of Roses in Catalonia’s Empordà region suspended its correbou festival after the municipal council passed a motion banning the use of animals for entertainment purposes in all events.
► Read More in Spanish at Las Provincias, Xàbia al Día and Diario Información …
