After San Fermín Rapes, 30 Women’s, Children’s, and Animal Organisations Urge Banning Event

For Immediate Release:

26 July 2016

Contact:

Sascha Camilli +44 (0) 20 7837 6327, ext 235; [email protected]

 AFTER SAN FERMÍN RAPES, 30 WOMEN’S, CHILDREN’S, AND ANIMAL ORGANISATIONS URGE BANNING EVENT

PETA, Solace Women’s Aid, Stand Together, NAPAC, and Others Join in Calling For an End to Violent Festival

Pamplona, Spain – In a united front against the violence, sexual assault, and cruelty to animals that occurred at the San Fermín festival this month, a group of 30 women’s, children’s, and animal organisations has teamed up to send a letter to Mayor of Pamplona Joseba Asirón calling for an end to the event. The letter follows allegations of 11 sexual assaults, four rapes, and one attempted rape perpetrated against women, children, and men during the festival. In addition to the human victims, the 54 bulls were struck and terrorised as they slipped and slid down the city’s narrow streets towards the bullring, where they were tortured and killed.

In their letter, the groups point to the numerous studies indicating a direct link between cruelty to animals and violence against humans and note that the “recklessness and cruelty inherent in bullfighting and bull runs can encourage a dangerous and lawless atmosphere in which the safety and lives of humans and animals are put at risk for the sake of depraved so-called ‘entertainment'”.

“How many victims of San Fermín will it take for Pamplona to join the more than 100 progressive Spanish cities and towns that have banned cruel events that abuse bulls?” asks PETA Director Mimi Bekhechi. “There is an established link between violence to humans and cruelty to animals, which is why women’s and children’s groups are joining PETA’s call for Mayor Asirón to protect all living beings by immediately halting this violent and reckless spectacle.”

In a typical bullfight, as many as eight men taunt, beat, and stab a single bull with daggers and harpoon-like banderillas until he becomes weak from blood loss. The matador then thrusts a sword between the exhausted animal’s shoulder blades, and an executioner cuts his spinal cord. Many bulls are paralysed but still conscious as they are dragged out of the arena.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk.

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