Increased death toll stirs bullfighting controversy

The death of nine people during bullfighting festivals this year has stirred controversy about security among the public in Spain. Animal rights groups and political movements that support them sprang into action after the latest deaths. Some party representatives made a submission to municipal councils to prohibit bullfighting festivals. "We have been struggling for many years to prohibit these festivals that put both human and animal life in danger. The festivals create security problems, causing many injuries and deaths. They also negatively affect our country's image worldwide because when people look at these festivals from abroad, they just see an activity in which animals are killed by people, and people die by being gored by the bulls," said Silvia Barquero, the leader of PACMA (The Animalist Party against the Mistreatment of Animals), a center-left political party that focuses on animal rights and their abuse.

Statistics indicate that 70 people died in the last 15 years due to being gored by bulls.