Jon Clarke (Publisher & Editor)AFTER numerous debates, the Catalan parliament has voted to ban bullfighting in the region starting January 1, 2012.
The decision was pushed through with 68 votes in favour, 55 against, and nine abstentions.
After 180,000 citizens signed a People’s Legislative Initiative petition spearheaded by the Plataforma Prou activist group, a parliamentary vote was forced.
Years of heated arguments about whether bullfighting is a barbaric practice or a piece of Spanish cultural heritage have preceded the prohibition.
Many say that the vote is as much about nationalist politics as animal rights, however, and view the move as an assertion of Catalan independence.
Following the Canaries’ ban in 1991, Catalonia is the second autonomous region in Spain to prohibit the traditional practice, which began in earnest in the early 1700s.
There is only one active bullring in Catalonia – the Monumental in Barcelona – and the owner has already said he will be claiming compensation following the vote.
Common sense at last. May it spread to the rest of Spain as soon as possible.
As said in the article, reasons must be searched not as a expresion of common sence but as an attempt to cut with spanish tradition. Most of them have always been toros fans. Stupid independentists. We are becoming an State of everything prohibited. Our Prime Minister only represents himself and he’s getting Spain collapsed. If somebody were frozen nowadays and awaken by 2050, he will appeared in a Spain reduced to Madrid sorrounded by 16 new states. Crucifixes, spanish hymn, tapas bars, army, bullfights, pensions,etc, would have been abolished or banned years before. What a nausea of socialist Government!
Its now safe to come to catalyuna !! Nº1 Tourist center with no frights of seeing animals killed for pleasure.
well done Catalyuna.
JUAN, I’m from Galicia, and what you said is not true. Don’t mix bullfighting ban with other bans. You have to analyse each ban individually. And each ban has reasons behind it. Animal torture (in general) is banned everywhere in Spain. So, this ban is only to apply it to bullfighting. Because being it a tradition doesn’t justify the torture of animals.