San Isidora Festival Cancelled After Bulls Gore Three Matadors

Although bullfighting has a long tradition in Spain, more and more Spaniards are standing up against the abuse and violence and choosing to put aside its’ historical status in favor of the health of bulls and matadors alike.

Catalonia banned bullfighting in 2010, followed by the city of Barcelona in 2014. Now, the world looks to Madrid to follow suit after what can only be described as a horrific accident in this year’s opening events.

The San Isidora Festival, premiered in Madrid, showcasing all that can go wrong in the needlessly violent sport of bullfighting, leaving three matadors injured after being gored by bulls weighing over 1,000 lbs. Reports from the event described the scene as “shocking” and “chilling,” illustrating the true brutality of the sport.

Bullfighting is thought to have been introduced by the Romans, and has been practiced in Spain for 4,000 years. While the Romans were a great civilization, there is a REASON why we no longer practice their antiquated and insanely violent traditions, bullfighting is no exception.

The U.N. has even gone so far as to declare watching the sport as “against the rights of children” because it so incredibly cruel – both to the bull and in this case especially, the matadors. The three matadors attacked by bulls at the San Isidora festival have received treatment for their injuries and are in stable condition. Thankfully, the festival has since been cancelled to prevent the harm to anymore people or animals.

It was the first time that the festival had been cancelled in 35 years. Given the extreme injuries sustained by matadors, perhaps this cancelation should become the new tradition in Madrid.

Image source: Argyriou/Wikipedia Commons