The Cruel Sport of Bullfighting

Catalonia is the first region in Spain to ban the cruel sport of bullfighting. Barcelona's main bullring, one of the oldest in the country, is the only one still being used in Catalonia. Animal rights activists presented a partition to parliament signed by 180,000 people who said the practice is barbaric and outdated. Emotions ran high in the debate as supporters said the corrida is an art form that must be preserved. But the vote was 68 to 55 against with 9 abstentions. The ban takes effect in January 2012. However, there is no significant movement to do away with bullfightint in the rest of Spain.

Animal activists are saying what we in the West knew all along - bullfighting is cruel and unacceptable and most of the spectators in Catalonia these days are tourists who are appalled by it. But pro-bullfighting groups fear that a ban could spread across the country and threaten the livelihood of thousands of people.

A bullfight typically lasts about 20 minutes and the bull is stabbed numerous times before the fatal blow is delivered with a sword thrust between its shoulder blades. The bulls are specially bred and traditionally a corrida involves six bulls and three matadors who each tackle two bulls. In Portugal and the south of France the bull is not killed in the ring.

Bullfighting is also widespread in Latin America. The Plaza Mexico arena in Mexico City is the biggest in the world, seating up to 55,000 spectators. One of the oldest is the 18th century Plaza de Acho in Lima Peru.

President of the animal rights group said he is euphoric about the outcome in Catalonia and that it's the beginning of the end for bullfighting in Spain - they will now take the debate to Madrid.

One of the most famous fans of bullfighting was the US writer Ernest Hemingway who wrote about the age-old tradition in his book Death in the Afternoon.