Bullfighting festival in Spain canceled after bulls are called ‘Feminista’ and ‘Nigeriano’
The northern Spanish city of Gijón has banned its centuries-old annual bullfighting festival. Not because of the animal cruelty, but because two of the bulls killed this week were called ‘Feminista’ and ‘Nigeriano’. According to the mayor, the festival has thus ‘crossed several lines’.
“The festival is over,” the socialist mayor of the large coastal city of Gijón, Ana González, told journalists. “They have crossed several lines. A city that believes in equality between men and women and in integration cannot allow these things.”
The life of the Begoña festival was already hanging by a thread. At its most recent congress, the socialist party had already discussed plans to scrap the 133-year-old festival due to growing opposition from residents. The city government has accelerated the decision with bullfighting being “used to promote an ideology that violates human rights,” the city government has accelerated the decision.
Misunderstanding
But according to the Unión de Criadores de Toros de Lidia, which brings together 345 bull breeders, everything is based on a misunderstanding. According to the interest group, the names are in line with the rules of the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture.
The animals involved were descended from the cows ‘Feminista’ and ‘Nigeriano’. Both cows were purchased by the breeder in 1986 and have produced more than four generations of bulls, far from any social and political context.
The conservative People’s Party supports the breeders in Gijón, which is investigating whether legal action is possible to reverse the mayor’s decision.
Animal rights activists happy
Those who are satisfied are animal rights activists. Although the entire discussion does not mention animal welfare and the unnecessary suffering inflicted on the bulls, activists react enthusiastically on social media. “For a feminist bull to end the bullfighting festival in Gijón is poetic justice,” tweeted journalist Anita Botwin, for example.
